A Perfect Ten
by Azure129
Summary: A Helga's tenth birthday fic that I started writing one morning upon realizing that I myself was officially another year older. Her special day must have happened sometime between the movie and April Fools Day, but when exactly...? Read to find out! AXH!
1. The Morning After

**A/N:**

Hey guys :) So, long story short since I have a million things to do today—it's my birthday and I've been meaning to do a tenth birthday short fic about Helga, so…here's what I came up with (so far) this morning! It's going to have one more chapter that I'll write either tonight or tomorrow, but I just thought this was a cute idea and I wanted to try writing it out and see where it went. Also, it's letting me procrastinate from working on Dinner and a Show, and my DP fic and something else special I might be preparing…

Anyway, please enjoy the first half of this special birthday fic!

**Disclaimer:**

Okay, let's all get one thing straight: Nick and Viacom _own a bunch of the rights_ to this show, but HA! is only _truly _the artistic property of the lovely Craig Bartlett and everyone else who contributed to its production :) Sadly none of those people are me--darn me being 22 today instead of 42!

**A PERFECT TEN**

**Part 1:**

**The Morning After….**

**

* * *

**

"Uh, pretty _crazy_ day, huh?"

"Uh…" '_Oh boy_…' "Uh, yeah, we, uh, WHOO, we said some really _nutty_ things back there…" _'Oh smooth cover, Helga—VERY smooth. I am dead.'_

"Yeah…"

"Yeah…"

The awkward silence seemed to last a lifetime for Helga. Arnold wasn't doing so hot right now either.

"Well…listen, about all that stuff I said, Arnold… I mean, it was crazy back there and…" '_And __I __was crazy back there but I'm sure you already more than think that. I CONFESSED—what was I THINKING?!?!'_

"…Yeah…in all the excitement we probably just…"

"…Got carried away?" _'Way to say that like it's a question, Helga—like you're asking __permission__ to be let off the hook, or something._'

Another epic awkward silence.

"You didn't…mean all that stuff you said…I mean, you don't really _love_ me, right?"

"Uh…" '_Wait…seriously?_' "Right…"

"You were just…caught up in the heat of the moment…"

"Right!" '_I could kiss him again for this…That would defeat the whole purpose of it all but, still, I really just __could__…_'

"You actually hate me, don't you?"

'_Oh…oh, yes, oh yes, oh YES!!!' _"Of course I hate you, you stupid Football Head! And don't you ever forget it! EVER!"

"Okay."

'_My luck…is…incredible.'_

* * *

_Five hours later..._

"Congratulations, everyone! We did it!!! Let Blockapalooza 2—The Celebration about Kicking Sheck's butt, commence!!!" The crowd of people from 33rd to 39th street cheered at this announcement from Phil, who was currently standing in the middle of Vine Street as he made this announcement. Then the partygoers commenced to chowing-down on a hastily prepared but delicious potluck breakfast/lunch while sitting at an assortment of card tables and picnic tables and coffee tables that people had managed to pull together and set up all along the block over the morning.

Phil sat down with a smile at his table at the center of the street around which also sat all of the Boarders…as well as the two heroes of the hour…

Phil smiled at the young boys in question, picking up a glass of orange juice. "And a very special thanks to the two men who made this morning all possible—Shortman and Gerald!"

The other occupants of the table lifted their assorted glasses in a toast and drank.

"Thanks, Grandpa." Arnold smiled at his grandfather.

"Yeah, thanks, Phil!" Gerald chugged some juice.

Phil sighed. "Will you stop calling me Ph—" He suddenly sighed, though, in mid-exclamation and instead just smiled at the two boys again. "Oh, what the heck—it's a party! Now, come on, boys—let's eat up while we still have a few hours before the clean up crews roll through to fix all the mess Sheck made with his constructing and the billboard…"

"Don't forget about the overpass blowing up…" Gerald added in a low voice with a small, smug smile.

Phil, Mr. Potts, Mr. Huynh and Oskar all did spit takes on their drinks at the comment and looked at each other nervously.

"Heh, heh, heh—uh, yes…" Oskar began, "That was a…very strange coincidence…"

"Uh, yeah…" Ernie added, blushing slightly. "Wonder where all that dynamite came from." He glanced around nervously and added in a louder voice. "Yes siree, all that dynamite that could be purchased from ANY ONLINE SUPPLIER OR LOCAL CONSTRUCITON COMPANY BY ANYONE WITH A CREDIT CARD!"

Mr. Huynh cleared his throat, smiling at Ernie. "Very good point, Ernie… I guess it will always just be a mystery how that happened. Heh, heh…"

Phil rolled his eyes. "Okay you three—_very_ smooth cover. If we ever have to testify I'm sure you'll all just be star witnesses…"

Arnold just turned to Gerald, raising an eyebrow at him and smiling.

Gerald shrugged innocently. "What? Just bringing the overpass up like any other person who doesn't understand how in the world that could have happened…" He winked, causing Arnold to laugh. Gerald turned to Phil and the rest of the boarders smiling, and then they all breathed sighs of relief and joined Arnold in laughing.

"Hey, listen up, people!!!"

The attention of the entire crowd suddenly turned to the booming voice of Big Bob Pataki, who had just exited his house, drying his hair a bit with a towel and now in a fresh set of clothes from the ones he'd been wearing for the last twenty four hours. "I just…" he actually looked sheepish for a second, which caused some serious eyebrow raises among the crowd, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry again for going along with this whole Sheck thing for so long…So, to make up for it…after breakfast…" he looked the crowd in the eye again, actually smiling (which got even more raised eyebrows), "You're all invited to _free ice cream at Slausen's_ courtesy of _Big Bob's Beepers_!"

The crowd was silent for a second, looking at each other, and then suddenly burst into grateful cheers and claps!

"Alright, man—free ice cream!" Gerald smiled at his best friend, finishing off the eggs on his plate and helping himself to another serving from a big platter in the center of the table. "Is there anything about the last few hours that _hasn't_ been completely incredibly awesome?"

The question was obviously rhetorical and obviously intended to make Arnold smile as well…which was why Gerald raised an eyebrow as he saw Arnold clear his throat and almost…blush for a second? '_What the heck—I haven't seen Arnold actually blush ever since the whole Iggy/Bunny Pajamas fiasco.'_ What really got his attention though was that for a second Arnold actually opened his mouth like he was going to reply to the question, but then quickly closed it and took a very deliberate bite of a pancake before him…a very small, almost imperceptible smile on his face.

Before Gerald could ask his friend what was up though, a special visitor interrupted them…

"Good morning, Arnold, Gerald." Phoebe Heyerdahl, to the surprise of both boys, suddenly came up between them. Arnold couldn't help but notice a small blue and pink package in one of her hands.

Gerald felt himself swallow hard at the sight of her smiling face. "Oh, uh…hey, Phoebe. How's it going?" He did his best to smile smoothly and lean casually on the table, but the action caused his hair (which was starting to grow a little limp from all of the craziness and no sleeping or showering over almost the last two days) to actually slump down a bit and into his face. The action made him recall that, considering the FTi stuff and the fact that he had spent the better part of the morning setting up tables, he must look horrible. He quickly straightened his hair and grabbed a napkin, trying to blot some of the smoke and dirt stains from his white shirt, and blushing slightly as he did so.

Arnold couldn't help but grin a bit at the sight.

As for Phoebe, she couldn't help but just giggle and smile. "I'm quite well, Gerald. How are the both of you?"

"Oh, uh…" Gerald finished getting himself as put together as possible under the circumstance. "You know: we're cool…very cool…"

"We're fine, Phoebe. Thanks." Arnold replied with a smile. He couldn't help but glance down that the item she was holding once more. He raised an eyebrow. "What's the present for?"

Phoebe blinked, recalling the item she was carrying. "Oh, well…that's precisely why I came over, Arnold. Besides of course to congratulate you and Gerald on your efforts again and to thank you both once more for saving the neighborhood…" She smiled at Gerald again and he smiled back. She then blinked, remembering her major intended purpose for starting the conversation. She turned back to Arnold, clearing her throat and blushing slightly at her brief distraction. "Anyway…I also wanted to know if you happened to know where Helga is, Arnold."

Arnold blinked and there was no mistaking it this time, in Gerald's opinion: he blushed, just slightly. "Um…" he did his best to smile at Phoebe, though he was glancing away very unusually. "I'm…not sure…" He managed to look up her. "…Why?"

Phoebe frowned slightly and sighed. "Oh…I suppose it's not very important just this moment...But, are you sure she didn't say anything about where she might be?" She raised an eyebrow at Arnold. "The last time I saw her, the two of you were talking after Sheck had been taken away, but I didn't want to interrupt her…" She glanced away and hesitated for a second, like she suddenly felt like she'd said something she shouldn't have.

Arnold glanced away again as well.

Gerald looked with a raised eyebrow from one to the other.

"Anyway…" Phoebe continued, clearing her throat. "I haven't seen her since then, and, now that everything's taken care of with the neighborhood, I just wanted to wish her a happy birthday and to give her her present." She smiled at Arnold, slightly lifting up the item in her hands.

Arnold blinked. "It's her birthday? Today?"

Phoebe smiled. "Certainly, Arnold. I almost forgot, myself, with everything that's been happening over the last week, but it is indeed today. Didn't you know?"

Arnold, a pensive look on his face and a distant look in his eyes, just shook his head in response to the question.

Phoebe's eyes fell a bit at this information. She knew Helga wasn't very open about herself with people, but if Arnold didn't even realize that it was her birthday then certainly none of the other kids did either. She thought for a second and then did her best to smile and look back up at Arnold. "Well…I'm certain that after the party is over I'll be able to find her and do something to celebrate the day. I don't want her to feel that her birthday has somehow been overlooked by the good fortune of the neighborhood being saved." She sighed. "I know she'll act like it doesn't matter when I bring it up but…" She smiled at Arnold. "No one should feel unloved on their birthday…"

Arnold blinked and really looked at Phoebe for a second, like he was trying to figure something out…like whether or not she had figured something out, for example…

Phoebe just cleared her throat, though and turned an even bigger smile to Gerald. "I'll see you both later, then. And thank you once more for all of your hard work."

Gerald blushed slightly and cleared his throat. "Yeah, well…" he winked smoothly, "Anything for you, babe."

Phoebe giggled and began to return to her family and her table. She stopped though, mid-step, and turned back to Arnold once more. "And Arnold?"

Arnold blinked at being addressed again, nearly spazzing as he bumped into the table with a nervous jerk, trying to turn back around to the first person to talk to him about Helga since a certain incident a little under five and a half hours ago. "Uh…yeah?"

Phoebe observed his behavior with a curious smile once more, then continued, "If you happen to see Helga…will you tell her Happy Birthday from me?"

Arnold blinked and did his best to fight a bit of warmth threatening to come to his cheeks. "Oh…sure, Phoebe."

Phoebe nodded at both boys once more and then finally left their table, returning to her own.

Arnold closed his eyes for a second and gave a small sigh. He then opened them and straightened his tie, and resumed eating his food.

Gerald, meanwhile, just eyed him, waiting for an explanation. Getting none, he finally initiated the conversation himself. "Okay, Arnold, _spill_—what's up with you and Helga?"

The chocolate milk Arnold was drinking actually came out of his nose at the question. He coughed several times and grabbed a napkin, trying to clean himself and his plate up as best he could. Finally done stalling, he turned back to Gerald, blinking several times. "Gerald! What…" he coughed a couple more times to finish clearing his throat, and then grabbed a fresh plate from the table, "What are you…I mean…" He took a breath. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Gerald rolled his eyes, reclining back in his chair. The food could wait a minute: this was a question he'd had for about five hours now, now that he thought about it. "Well, Phoebe said you were talking to her after everything was done with Sheck…and then you guys never _did_ spill about how she ended up on the bus with us…and, also, you _were_ acting a little weird just now when Phoebe brought her up…"

Arnold took a breath, managing to maintain some calmness now. "Gerald…I just…" He sighed and seemed to consider for a moment, and then continued a bit slowly… "Well…I guess I just feel a little bad for Helga…I mean," glancing away, he swallowed hard, and the action wasn't lost on Gerald, "She helped us out a lot…_at the end there, I mean_." He added the last part of the sentence a bit forcefully, causing Gerald to raise an eyebrow. "And…well…I just feel kind of bad that it's her birthday and everyone's so caught up in celebrating saving the neighborhood that they might be forgetting about it. That's all."

Gerald continued to eye him suspiciously for another second or two, but then just sighed and rolled his eyes, picking up his fork again (much to Arnold's relief.) "Man, that conscience of yours is epic, you know that? Even after saving the homes of hundreds of people and taking down an evil corporate giant, you still manage to feel guilty about the chance of hurting the one person on the planet who hates your guts… Mmm, mmm, mmm…" He smiled to himself at the irony.

He expected a good-natured laugh from Arnold but was only met with a sigh from his best friend, which caused Gerald to drop his fork once more and eye Arnold just a bit suspiciously yet again. Then another thought occurred to him courtesy of the events of the day coupled with Arnold's strange behavior. "And speaking of her hating you, why did she help us again, exactly? And what was she doing at FTi in the first place?"

Arnold's eyes went just a little wide and his fork fell out of his hand, landing on his plate with a clatter. After a second, a sheepish smile came to his face, and he turned to his best friend, his mouth open as though about to try and respond when suddenly…

"Hey, Arnold, hey, Gerald! All us kids are gonna head to Slausen's early and get the good ice cream flavors before the adults get at 'em! Reckon you wanna come?"

"Yeah, come on, guys! I'm starving!"

"Yes, you two, and then you can tell me where you came across those darling designer suits of yours in your adventure! I simply have to know!"

"Yes, Arnold and Gerald, I'm ever so certain we'd all love to hear everything about how you and Gerald managed to save the neighborhood!"

"YEAH!" Came an eager affirmation of this assumption from the other kids.

Stinky, Harold, Rhonda, Lila and all of the other forth graders had suddenly approached Arnold and Gerald's table, and their familiar friends were looking at them with happy smiles.

Free ice cream coupled with the idea of an afternoon pigging out on it with his closest friends had the effect of pushing the thought of Helga from Gerald's head for the moment. He smiled and stood up, looking at them all. "You got it, guys! One bonafide brand new Urban Legend coming up, courtesy of the Keeper of the Tales!" He turned back to Arnold. "Come on, man! Free ice cream on Big Bob Pataki _and_ a chance to be a part of our own urban legend! Who can beat that?!"

Free ice cream and time with his other friends, though tempting, was not enough to push the thought of Helga from _Arnold's_ head, though. "Uh…" he smiled at Gerald and then at the gang, "You guys go on ahead, okay? I just…think I could use a shower and a nap after everything that's happened. I'll be there in an hour…I promise."

Gerald just looked at Arnold with a blank, disbelieving stare for a second. He opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but then finally (and to Arnold's relief) just shrugged and smiled. "Hey, more ice cream for me, then, man. I'll save you some cookie dough though!" He winked and then turned back to the other kids. "Come on guys, let's party! And, as hero of the neighborhood, I call first dibs on the triple chocolate fudge ripple and the first tub of marshmallow topping I see!"

The other kids cheered and began to head in the direction of the familiar ice cream parlor with Gerald leading the way.

Arnold watched them go with a smile…though that smile quickly fell into a pensive look as he considered some things in his head for a few moments. Suddenly, though, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a familiar blue sweater join the crowd of fourth graders, coming from the direction of a certain family's table. Arnold blinked at seeing the girl, paused for just another second, and then suddenly smiled as an idea occurred to him. He ran forward to catch up with the girl in question, and tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to turn around and linger back from the greater crowd for a second. Phoebe Heyerdahl turned to him, first with an eyebrow raised at whom was addressing her but then with a smile as she saw that it was indeed Arnold. Arnold caught his breath for a second, and then asked her a question, to which Phoebe shook her head with a slight frown. She smiled, though, and then pointed over to another table where two familiar figures were seated…now keeping their eyes on a very familiar pink and blue present to give to their still-absent daughter later. Arnold glanced over in their direction and nodded slightly like he was considering something, but then shook his head to clear it and turned back to Phoebe. Suddenly, to Phoebe's surprise, a smile came to his face and he got a little closer to her and whispered something in her ear, and then pulled back smiling. Phoebe just blinked at what he'd said to her…and then, to _Arnold's_ surprise, really looked at him for a second… like the bit of wonder in her smile was due just a little less to the brilliant idea that had just been suggested to her than to the _particular person_ who had just suggested it. Under her look Arnold couldn't help but glance down and mumble something. Phoebe suddenly smiled warmly at him and gave a quick reply and a nod, to which Arnold finally looked up with a smile, nodding as well.

Finally, glancing over her shoulder and seeing the other kids already all the way up the street, Phoebe gave Arnold a quick wave goodbye and ran to rejoin the other kids…making sure to run up to where Gerald was, specifically. Smiling and greeting him, she responded to his smooth smile and return of her salutation by quickly whispering something in his ear, which caused Gerald, Arnold noticed as he looked on, to pull away from her, hesitance and shock obvious on his face. A worried Arnold breathed a sigh of relief, though, as (luckily) a few well chosen words and well placed smiles from the girl beside his best friend quickly seemed to gain his acceptance of the plan she had just proposed to him…however truly random and strange it might seem to take part in considering _who_ it was about…

* * *

**A/N:**

I hope you guys like this so far! What's Arnold planning, and where's Helga exactly…and what random shenanigan have I already started writing out for part 2? ;) Find out tonight or tomorrow!!! R&R! Thanks guys :)

Happy Reading!

~(The officially 22 years old) Azure129 aka Jenna!

AXH FOREVER!!!


	2. Surprise!

**A/N:**

Here you go, guys! Sorry this is getting up a bit late but, you know me—I think things are going to be short and then I start writing and we end up with TA, lol. Actually, though, I've decided to make this story a total of three chapters so the conclusion should be up sometime this weekend or early next week if I'm good and do all my homework and don't spend the next two days messing around and procrastinating, lol. As for this chapter, there's some cuteness to be had so get reading and reviewing already ;)

Also, ff dot net is giving me some trouble about uploading new docs to the doc manager, so I had to get creative and replace the contents of an old uploaded doc with the contents of this chapter (four years of college education and it took me a good hour to come up with that idea--yeah, the 20,000 bucks a year in student loans is definitely NOT going to waste, lol).

Also, I know I haven't had a chance to respond to any of your reviews yet (and I plan to asap!) but I just wanted to thank everyone for the birthday wishes and for all of the compliments and the encouragement :) You guys really are such a great fandom and I love having the chance to write for you all! Believe me, if I could, I'd say 'Aw come here you big lugs' and grab you all in a Helga vice grip hug right now, lol ;)

Oh, also, check out my profile! I…_might_ have changed my avatar pic to a small present I bought myself yesterday when I took a very nostalgic trip into a Hot Topic ;) I usually don't post actual pics of myself anywhere but facebook, but it's just a shot of what I'm wearing and I think it's awesome and that it was totally worth the twenty bucks, lol!

Okay, enough of my gushing and yammering—here you all go!!!

**A PERFECT TEN**

** Chapter 2:**

** Surprise!**

* * *

Arnold, making very sure no one outside was watching where he was going (Blockapalooza 2 was still centered on Vine Street, of course, but it seemed that everyone from 33rd to 39th was out and about rejoicing in the fact that their homes had been saved), quickly and quietly opened, entered and then closed the door of the Pataki house behind him, just managing to balance the small plate of breakfast food and the glass of juice resting upon its edge in his free hand without spilling anything.

He closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. He then opened his eyes and finally looked at the inside of the dim and seemingly empty house in which he currently found himself, its thick quiet washing over him. He took another breath, resettled the plate and then took the glass of juice in the hand that he had used to open the door, recalling Mr. and Mrs. Pataki's assurances from a few minutes ago that Helga was probably still in her room, where she'd been since Sheck had been carted away, sleeping the events of the last two days off…and that, in Miriam Pataki's smiling opinion, she probably _could_ use a little something to eat from a nice boy like Alfred, Archie…Arnold, right?

Setting the glass down briefly once more to loosen his tie a bit, Arnold recalled the way Helga's mother had remembered how he'd cooked a snack for Helga when she'd had amnesia a few weeks ago (and how Miriam had winked at him after he'd then explained his plan with Slausen's to her, almost like she knew something about him and Helga). Swallowing hard and doing his best to push these thoughts from his mind, Arnold approached the Pataki steps to the second floor, paused once more, and then with another breath began to climb them…and to climb toward Helga.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Helga's room…in Helga's _sleeping head_, actually…

"Pretty _crazy_ day, huh?"

"Yeah, we, uh, whoo, we said some really _nutty_ things back there…"

"_Yeah.._." Arnold took a step closer to Helga smiling. She felt her heart catch in her throat…and suddenly became very aware of the large rips in his white shirt revealing parts of his arms and chest. Funny, but the tears in the fabric seemed to have grown much more exaggerated than when she'd first looked at him upon this conversation starting…and the result was that the tattered garment was revealing _even more_ of his body. She felt her face growing warm. '_And…_' she couldn't help but also notice, with a raised eyebrow, '_Where the heck's that wind coming from that's just blowing his hair and nothing else…?_' She could detect no breeze on her own skin, and her own hair remained stiff. Her eyes returning to Arnold's smiling face and his flowing hair, she couldn't help a slight dreamy smile coming to her face at the way she noticed his blond tendrils were dancing in that strange, convenient breeze like golden feathers of silk just waiting to be… '_Okay, calm down, Helga_…' Helga closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. '_Get out of this mess first, and THEN go monologue! Monologuing bad, right now. Preserving at least some of your dignity good. Okay, go!_'

"Yeah, well…" Helga found her voice again and took a step back from Arnold, glancing away from the sight of him. "About all that stuff I said, Arnold…I mean, it was crazy back there and…

"And in all the _excitement_…" He took another step toward her, still smiling. The way he emphasized the last word was not lost on Helga, who felt her heart beat just a bit more quickly.

She swallowed. Hard. And then did her best to continue with her line, despite the other thoughts currently popping into her head. "We just, uh…just…got carried away…heh, heh?"

Helga was a bit surprised, to say the least, when instead of responding in the way he was supposed to in order to officially let her off the hook… and she didn't understand quite yet _how_ she knew that that was what he was supposed to respond with, but somehow it just _was_… Arnold suddenly grabbed her around the waist and pulled her as close to himself as possible. "Oh Helga, my darling," he began in a dramatic voice that made her eyes go wide and her heart beat a mile a minute, "Carried away? Oh, I would carry you to the farthest ends of the earth if that's what you desired! Just say a wish and it's yours, you charming creature!"

Helga just blinked in total surprise and confusion. "HUH?!"

She watched, her total internal panic continuing, as her beloved's hand reached up…and then she felt shivers run up and down her spine as his soft fingertips suddenly gently caressed the side of her face. "Oh Helga…" he began in a gentle voice that almost made her sigh, "Why are you still pretending? _I_ don't want to pretend anymore. Why don't we just admit our love to each other and to heck with the rest of the world!?" His hand traveled to her chin, those fingertips getting so dangerously close to her lips that almost felt like she couldn't breathe. "Helga," he continued, staring deep into her eyes, "I-I just didn't realize your feelings before and so I couldn't express my own…" He smiled. "But, now that I know of your deep passion, how can I resist it any longer? I love you, Helga, my darling. Now, kiss me again!"

And she felt him pull her forward and pull her face to his… and suddenly he was kissing her just as she had kissed him on the roof of the FTi building mere minutes ago!

Helga's surprise only lasted for a second and then she quickly wrapped her arms around his soft body and melted into the kiss along with her beloved: a kiss that seemed to last forever. In between breaths as they continued to embrace Helga heard Arnold delicately say her name under his breath and she began to do the same every time she separated from him slightly and tried to get some more air to keep things going. "Arnold…oh, Arnold…Arnold…Arnold…"

* * *

The sound of a glass shattering woke Helga up.

She blinked several times, the diluted light of day coming through her closed pink curtains suddenly meeting her eyes. She sat up for a second, rubbing her head and continuing to blink. "Whoa…_that_ was some dream…" The bright light, despite the curtains, caught her eye again. "Sheesh, it must almost be noon or something for the sun to be _that_ out. How long was I out for, anyway?"

She yawned to herself. "Oh, well…better get out there and see what the heck everyone's up t—"

As she had been saying this sentence, Helga had swung her feet and then the rest of her body around to the edge of her bed…. Her abrupt stop in speaking was the result of suddenly seeing Arnold standing before her and staring at her with wide eyes, his mouth slightly open… and, it also processed with her, that there was a half broken glass of juice spilling out onto her carpet and a plate now resting right side up beside it, its contents of eggs and pancakes severely jostled, to say the least.

"ARNOLD!" She couldn't help but scream, her eyes going wide and practically jumping off the edge of the bed.

There were several seconds of silence between them. And Arnold's eyes were very wide. And he was blushing.

"I…I mean…" she took several breaths trying to calm herself down, "What…uh…what are you doing here, uh, Football Head?" She knew the familiar phrase sounded weak but, in her defense, waking up to find Arnold in her room wasn't exactly an everyday occurrence. It was more like a rare fantasy that she was only on occasion lucky enough to dream abo—'_Wait a minute…_' she actually half smiled, '_This is still just part of the dream, isn't it?'_ She felt a wave of relief come over her. '_Whew! Boy…that's a relief. I mean, otherwise, he might have seen me and heard me and…' _Despite the fact that she now knew that there was **no** way that that scenario was true, she still couldn't help the sick feeling that came into her stomach at the thought of it and did her best to shake her head and get away from that particular nightmare and back to the situation at hand. She grinned to herself. '_Alright, then, since we're still dreaming, let's get to some more serious never-gonna-happen-in-real-life kissing, shall we?_'

Set on her goals, Helga cleared her throat and smiled at the boy before her, rephrasing her greeting and doing so in a _much_ nicer tone, "I mean…hey, Arnold… How's it going?" She crossed her legs and looked at him a little coyly. '_At least I'm prepared for what's coming this time—someone cue him with half a shirt on and that windswept look and a bit of dramatic dialogue. Any time now would be great (though, you know me, Mr. Subconscious—the sooner the better!)._'

At this strange and very friendly address from the girl before him, Arnold suddenly blinked several times and instantly felt even more heat flood his cheeks. His eyes quickly fell to the bit of a mess he had made of her carpet, and he began to use the fork that had luckily not made it off of the edge of the plate to push the food still on the plate back towards the center, and he did his best to right the cracked glass though the contents were long gone. Arnold recalled her question, though, and did his best to clear his throat and give a polite response that DIDN'T sound completely panicked. It didn't work out so well—a fact to which his slightly cracking voice attested. "Uh…I…I'm fine, Helga. I…I'm sorry for bothering you but I just thought you might, um…" he did his best to focus and found his eyes glued to the food before him in his efforts not to look at Helga, "That you might like something to eat…"

Helga blinked, smiling to herself a bit more. '_Oh…so this is one of those dreams where we're married even though we're kids, and he's coming to bring me breakfast in bed and tell me how wonderful I am while we lie here all day smiling at each other and I recite poetry to him, and then we maybe take a balloon ride to Paris and spend the rest of our lives just looking into each others eyes…Okay, I know this one: pretty standard._' She couldn't help her smile faltering just slightly, though. '_Arnold's definitely a bit more skittish than usual, though…and a lot more than in the last dream_.' She hesitated for only a second more, though, before that small smile on her face was back with full force. '_But…that'll just make it all the better when he suddenly takes me in his arms and tells me he can't live without me before we run our fingers through each others hair and kiss tenderly, right_?' She sighed to herself, almost having to laugh at her brief doubt. '_I should just quit overanalyzing things and enjoy the dream…Besides, I deserve this after all that stuff I did yesterday for the old Football Head. And, anyway, I'm sure, any minute, Bob or Miriam will be hollering at me to get my lazy butt out of bed already, so might as well milk some fantasy time with Arnold it while it lasts…_'

Meanwhile, Arnold was trying to clean up the mess he had made, and was _still_ trying to avoid looking at Helga at all costs as he recalled what exactly had made him drop the items in his hands in the first place upon entering her room. '_She…she was smiling and sighing and holding that pillow and saying my name and…she was dreaming about me! And it made her happy!_' He swallowed hard. '_And she wanted to hold me just like that pillow…_' Arnold barely managed to shift his eyes upward slightly to the surface of Helga's bed (completely continuing to avoid Helga, of course, though) where he could see the pillow she had been grasping now lying to the side twisted and wrinkled with the prints of her arms still deep in it. Looking at that sight, he could almost feel a slight warmth come to the places on his body where her arms had touched him on that rooftop a few hours ago…holding him, pulling him closer…pressing up against him as she gave him his first real kiss ever. And then Arnold, to his embarrassment, couldn't help the next thought that popped into his head as he continued to be almost fixated on that ravaged pink pillow and, in addition, mentally recalled the contented smile that was currently on Helga's face the last time he'd checked. '_And…in the dream…what was 'the pillow' doing to make her so happy…?_' He felt even more heat rush to his face and tried not to let his thoughts run down that road as he stood up with the remainder of the plate of food.

He looked at Helga, clearing his throat and getting his blush under control. "Um…sorry about the mess, Helga. I'll clean it up." He took another breath and glanced around for a second, and then wedged the plate onto her nightstand and stepped back to his former position several feet from the bed. He smiled. "I'll just…go get some paper towels from downstairs…" He took a step back.

Helga blinked. Then she smiled again…and something about that smile almost made Arnold feel like his heart had stopped, as the last and _only_ time he'd seen it had been on the roof of a building a few hours ago. '_Oh, so that's why he's so shy…_' Helga thought to herself, trying not to laugh at her love's skittishness, '_this is 'hard-to-get Arnold,' isn't it? Hmm…he's usually in that dream with the doves and the English mansion and the fancy hats, but okay—he can be here if he wants to. Now that I know what I'm dealing with, let's really have some fun!_'

Helga suddenly stood up, crossing her arms over her chest and still smiling just a bit coyly at Arnold. "_Oh_ _no you don't_, Arnold…"

Her tone was distinctly pleasant and _that_ caught Arnold's attention. He knew that tone just like he knew that smile…from an event a few hours ago that he would never forget no matter how long he lived.

Arnold dropped the plate again, losing all of the contents to Helga's floor this time but not really noticing it at the moment. His initial instinct was to run in panic, not just across the room but out of the house and straight into the safety of his own bedroom where he would spend the rest of his life doing his best to never leave that place and to NEVER see Helga again so that he could stop feeling the way he did now and the way he had felt after she'd kissed him: this odd mix of fearful and confused and just a little…curious, he had to admit to himself. Like, despite everything, he couldn't help but wonder what _else_ he might have found out about Helga if they'd had a little more time on that rooftop…

Arnold pulled himself away from these thoughts and, instead of heading for the hills, managed to take a deep breath. He did his best to address Helga calmly and reasonably, all the while keeping his glance down. "Helga…maybe, uh…maybe you should lay back down again for a little while…I mean, we had kind of a big day and maybe…maybe it'd be better to take a minute and rest and think things through before anything…_else_…happens…" He finally managed to look at her, and added hesitantly and yet obviously with the intention of trying to communicate something silently, "Do you understand?"

Helga frowned a bit and scowled slightly at this response to her advance, crossing her arms over her chest. '_Hmm…this hard-to-get Arnold isn't as much fun as usual…_' She started to approach him. "Oh, come on, Football Head! Seriously, this is MY dream, so why don't you lighten up a bit so we can have a little fun before I wake u—WHOA!" Not looking where she was going, Helga had stepped directly onto the base of the empty, cracked glass still lying on its side on her floor. She rolled for a second and then went forward hard. Right into Arnold.

"WHOA!" Arnold yelled out, toppling backward. He felt himself slam into the floor and felt something heavy land on top of him.

He rubbed his head, trying to sit up, though the weight that was upon him didn't budge and thus didn't make it easy. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times at the sight of Helga's scowling and (very close) face suddenly before his own.

She was rubbing her head, and she blinked a few times. "Crimeny, Arnoldo—you know, hard-to-get's fine and dandy but, come on, that actually _hurt_!"

And then the words she'd just said really sunk into Helga's mind…and her eyes went wide. _'That actually hurt…Like actually, physically, occurring-right-now-in-reality hurt…And…'_ She glanced at her arms for the first time since waking up—the scuffs and scratches from their adventure last night/this morning were still there and still stung a bit now that she thought about it. Suddenly, she looked down at Arnold, staring into his slightly terrified eyes again. '_This is all real_…'

A few seconds of frozen silence passed between the two kids.

Finally, Helga's jaw fell a little. '_Oh…my…'_

"Um, Helga?" Arnold managed in a level and calm voice, clearing his throat slightly. "Do you think that maybe you could, um, get off of me…so that I can get up?"

Helga felt a warmth come to her face. Not saying a word and still looking at him in total terror, she nodded and then shifted off of him and stood up, grabbing one of his hands and helping pull him up off the floor as quickly as possible.

Now standing, Arnold did his best to brush himself off and to straighten his hair and tie once more. He took a small breath and finally managed eye contact again with Helga. "Uh…thank you, Helga."

Helga put her right elbow in her left palm and put her right hand to her chin, an unbelieving look on her face. She began to think aloud, the shock of what she'd just done completely overpowering her usual inhibitions. "I'm actually awake, aren't I, Arnoldo? I mean…this isn't some kind of weird dream coming from me not getting any sleep for two days straight… is it? It's all just real as can be, isn't it?" She asked almost casually and yet almost comically. She did her best to scowl, though, and add for insurance, though the effect was very weak, "I mean, not that I'd ever be dreaming about a Football Head like you…but…you know…I _did_ have to basically babysit you for the last day and a half so I guess you might have been able to enter my subconscious _a little_…"

Arnold, almost subconsciously, gave her a look.

Helga noticed his reaction, but ignored it, going on with her out loud realization. "Anyway, so…to conclude, I'm, uh…I'm awake now, huh?"

At the question, Arnold couldn't help but suddenly sigh and smile at Helga. He took a step back toward her, and replied just a bit playfully with a nod of his head, "Mmm Hmm…Sorry about that, by the way…" he blushed slightly, though he wasn't _quite_ sure _specifically_ why, and elaborated, "For waking you up, I mean." He glanced away. "I wasn't sure if you were still asleep or not when I got here, so I tried to be as quiet as I could when I came in, but I guess the sound of the glass breaking…" Arnold blinked and suddenly recalled once more exactly _what_ had made him drop that glass: the way she'd been saying his name over and over, and almost moaning as she did it with that smile on her face… Arnold suddenly cleared his throat and turned his gaze entirely to the floor. "Anyway, sorry, Helga…" He tried to smile up at her just slightly and shrugged. "I guess I really _am_ a bit of klutz, huh?"

Helga raised an eyebrow at the comment.

"I mean," Arnold tried to explain the reference, "like whenever we bump into each other or you push me, you call me a klutz or say 'Whoops, how clumsy of you' or something like that…" He laughed a little to himself at the memories.

Helga just watched him smiling in amusement to himself. Finally, to Arnold's surprise, she let out a small sigh and nodded her head a bit like she understood his explanation, and then replied in a calm voice, "Ah, I see…good one, Arnoldo." Suddenly, to Arnold's complete confusion, she laid down upon her floor, folding her hands over her chest. She spoke in the same mild, level voice. "Anyway, you can quit trying to soften the blow with the small talk, and just go crash one of those bulldozers outside through my room and kill me now to finally end the humiliation of this whole 'dream' thing. Anytime you're ready, Football Head. Really—I'll just be waiting right here. If you could make it quick, though, that would be great."

Arnold couldn't help but sigh and roll his eyes at the dramatics. "Helga…"

"Less talking more bulldozing, Football Head." She angled her head up slightly. "Come on—if Geraldo can drive a bus across the city, I'm sure YOU can move a piece of construction equipment through a brownstone." She clapped twice as she added, "Chop, chop!"

Arnold sighed once more, still smiling at her. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Helga, it's _okay_, you know—I mean, you probably haven't slept even longer than Gerald and me with all the stuff you've been doing. It makes sense that you'd be a little…groggy when you woke up." He took a few steps toward her, and then added apologetically. "I'm just sorry your breakfast got ruined…I could get you another plate from outside if you want? The whole neighborhood's kind of having a big potluck breakfast on Vine Street."

Helga sighed in exasperation and finally sat up entirely from her floor, her arms crossed over her chest. She rolled her eyes. "No, don't bother, Football Head. I'll just snag a breakfast burrito from the kitchen or something…" She hesitated and then, without looking at him, added, "But…thanks, though…for _trying_, I mean. It was…nice of you…you know, for a _Football Head_."

Arnold couldn't help but laugh slightly at her attempt to cover up her glimmer of sincerity. "You're welcome, Helga… But," he kneeled down on the floor in front of her so that they were at eye level again, "that was only part of the reason I came here."

Helga blinked and she felt her breath catch in her throat for an instant. "What…what do you mean?"

Arnold sighed and sat down completely now, still smiling at her. "Well, everyone's been _celebrating with_ me and Gerald and _thanking_ me and Gerald and _congratulating_ me and Gerald all about this 'saving the neighborhood' thing… But…" he glanced down, "We couldn't have done it without your help and it just…doesn't seem fair that you're not getting any credit…" He looked back up at her again. "You know, you're Dad announced a little while ago that he's buying the whole neighborhood all the ice cream they can eat at Slausen's, and the whole gangs probably there by now eating Mr. Fudgie bars and getting filled-in on the whole adventure by Gerald…" He smiled and shrugged. "I just thought that maybe you'd like to come too and share _your_ side of it all…"

Helga, Arnold noticed, looked almost surprised by his sincerity. She remained quiet for a second of two more, and then asked him tentatively, "You…you really thought about me and came all the way over here just so I wouldn't miss out on the party, Arnold…?"

Arnold glanced away, smiling, and trying not to react _too_ obviously to her choice of words, especially that first to last one. "Well…yeah, Helga. And I guess I was also kind of hoping that filling you in on what was going on would start to pay you back a bit for all the times you did the same thing for me last night and the day before, _Deep Voice_." He finally looked at her again, trying not to laugh at the idea of the mysterious personae she had invented.

Helga sighed in frustration, crossing her arms over her chest and rolling her eyes. Yet, despite this reaction and the dimness of the room, he thought he could detect just a trace of a blush on her face…and he couldn't help but smile a little bit more at the idea of something like that, however likely it was that it was just him imagination or a trick of the light. "Okay, Football Head," she started, amusement still winning out over sarcasm in her tone, "that was your one 'cheap-shot/freebie' with calling me that name, but _no more_! Monday at school and for the rest of our lives, I get 'Helga' out of you (or, later on, 'Madame President' if my plans for world domination end up panning out), or you're dead meat, Arnoldo. Got it?"

She was still smiling as she delivered this playful little threat, and Arnold had to laugh at her humor. "Okay, Helga… But, you know, it really was a great name and disguise you had…" He raised an eyebrow at her. "Where did you come up with doing that, anyway?"

Helga blinked and looked at him seriously. "From the journalists in the 70s—Woodstein and Burnward…You know, the guys who uncovered the Waterdoor Scandal with President Mixon…"

Arnold just looked at her in confusion.

Helga just sighed and smiled, rolling her eyes once more. "You don't _read_ enough, Football Head. Try actually _checking out of the library_ one of those books they're always referencing in our history textbook in Simmons' class instead of just going through those crummy chapters we have to read each week that just try and summarize everything we're supposed to know for the test." She crossed her arms over her chest smiling to herself. "Anyway, those two guys were sneaking around and getting information and helping take down some big corrupt guy, and they had a secret code name and did everything in the shadows, so I figured it could work for me too, you know?" She shrugged and looked at him. "And what do you know—as usual, I was right!"

Arnold just continued to look at her with a mixture of confusion and curiosity on his face.

Finally, Helga scowled. "Hey, take a picture, buddy, it'll last longer! What—do I still have some grease on my face or something from when we had to work the pedals on the bus together so that Gerald could drive?"

Arnold blinked a few times, coming out of his thoughts. "Oh, no—sorry Helga… It's just— " He paused for a second to come up with the best way to say what was on his mind, and then finally continued. "…There's a lot more to you than you let most people know, isn't there?"

He was sincerely just asking the question in regards to the thing about the journalists and the president…but it wasn't until it was out of his mouth that Arnold realized its other potential implication. He looked away from her, frowning slightly at himself for slipping up like that. '_If she wants to talk to me more about things, she will…I shouldn't push her or make her feel uncomfortable…' _He couldn't help the echo of a thought at the back of his mind telling him that, also, he probably didn't want to push this whole 'FTi roof' thing too much for _his own_ sake just as much as for hers…all things considered.

Helga, meanwhile, just blinked and looked at him with a bit of terror at the question he'd just put to her. "Well, I…I just…lead a very private life, Football Head. And…" she scowled, doing her best to get on the offensive again, "And I _don't_ like people prying…" She stood up. "Which is why, thanks a bunch for the invite, but I think I'll pass on ice cream and gushing to the whole 'gang' about risking my neck to help you and tall hair boy just because you were both so inept at stealing a single piece of paper from a crazy, middle-aged CEO with a grudge that you needed _me_ working things behind the scenes on my own time! Being 'above and beyond helpful' isn't exactly a part of the standard Helga G. Pataki reputation, Football Head, and I don't need it getting around that I'm suddenly some do-gooder little shrimp like you, or anything!" She leaned down, getting into his slightly surprised face. "And I _better_ not catch you or tall hair boy bringing up this whole 'Deep Voice' thing to anyone, either! As far as anyone knows, I just happened to be riding that bus to the docks to spit in the river when you two hijacked it and dragged me into your shenanigans, and that's how it's gonna stay— comprende, Arnoldo?"

For a few seconds, Arnold just remained staring at the finger she currently had pointing in his face. Then he blinked once, shifted away from her to get some room, and stood up. He sighed and smiled at her. "Is that what you really want, Helga?" he asked sincerely, almost casually.

Helga blinked. '_What—no speech about how no one's going to make fun of me or treat me any different just because I helped with this whole 'save the neighborhood thing,' no witty comment about how I'm overreacting, no scared but obedient 'Whatever you say, Helga' ?_' She dropped her finger and replied with surprise both on her face and in her voice, "Uh, yeah…it _is_, actually…which is why I just _said_ it, Football Head…" She scowled again, putting her hands on her hips. "Why—wanna make something of it?"

He just continued smiling, now shaking his head slightly. "No, Helga—I just wanted to make sure that you were sure. If you don't want me to tell anyone that you helped, then I won't. I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do, Helga…" He almost laughed as he added, turning his head a bit to the side and continuing to look at her, "But you don't have to threaten and yell at me, you know…you just have to ask…" He couldn't help but hesitate for a second and then add, glancing at her with just a touch of implied meaning in his eyes, "About this or…or anything else…"

Helga swallowed hard and looked away from him, putting her arms behind her back. "Oh…well, then…uh, _yeah_, I'd, uh, I'd appreciate it if you kept it between us…you know uh…all that stuff I did or…" It was Helga's turn to glance at him just a bit meaningfully as she finished, "…or said…or other stuff I did…you know, about 'saving the neighborhood,' I mean." She laughed a bit nervously.

Arnold couldn't help but smile nervously back at her, putting his own hands behind his body. "Right…about 'saving the neighborhood'…" He tried to laugh a little as well to ease the complicated exchange going on between them right now. Neither of their efforts in this department was helping much, though.

The two kids remained in an awkward silence for a couple of seconds, glancing at the floor and just trying to work out how to get past yet another uncomfortable bit of 'alone time' that morning.

Eventually, Helga cleared her throat and did her best to break the quiet. "Listen, Arnold…you… I mean…it's really, uh, nice of you to, you know…not want me to do anything I don't want to do…" She took a step forward, rubbing the back of her neck. "And I just…well…um…" She sighed and suddenly gave him a very light punch in the shoulder. "Well, thanks, Football Head…" She looked at him, smiling a bit sheepishly. "You're…you're okay."

The amount of sincerity in her simple words and gesture couldn't help but make Arnold smile wide and just look at her warmly for a moment. Had he been on Helga's end of his stare at her, he would have realized that he was giving her one of his half lidded gazes. He took a step closer to her. "And you're…" he hesitated, glancing away with a smile as though trying to find the right words, "You're…a really good person, Helga….and… really…_interesting_."

Helga eyed him a bit skeptically and asked with just a touch of playful sarcasm, all the while blushing just slightly and half smiling, "Well what the heck's that supposed to mean, Football Head? I'm '_interesting'_? A five hundred year old Renaissance painting worth a million dollars is 'interesting' but so is cockroach with two heads…" She rolled her eyes. "I mean, how am I supposed to know whether you mean something good or bad by throwing out a word like that, Arnoldo?"

Arnold laughed and considered her argument for a second. Finally, he looked at her. "Well, you _don't_, I guess…and I'm not even entirely sure that I know, to be honest. But…I think it _could_ be a good thing…for both of us." He finished speaking and then blinked, to Helga's complete surprise (and complete continued confusion)—like what he had been saying hadn't fully processed with him until he'd finished saying it...and like, even now, he still didn't get entirely what he had meant. Arnold looked at Helga again, almost shyly this time. "Does that make sense, Helga, or do you think it just sounds stupid?" He couldn't help but feel the urge for a yawn he'd been fighting for several minutes suddenly successfully take him over, reminding him of just how long he had been running around without a real break. "I mean," he continued, looking at her, "that whole 'saving the neighborhood' thing took a lot out of _me_ too…I might just be acting a little strange because I need a nap, or a full night's sleep or something…" He smiled up sheepishly at her.

Helga just looked at him with a touch of confusion for a second longer, but then couldn't help smiling slightly and rolling her eyes at her beloved. She approached Arnold and put a hand on one of his shoulders, and started leading them toward her door. "I think, Arnoldo, that I have one more mission to complete before my role in all of this insanity is finally done, and that is to get you safely back to the boarding house and tucked into bed with a glass of warm milk, and to spend the next day or so making sure that no one bothers you under any circumstances so you can sleep until Monday and return to your normal 'Whatever you say, Helga' self by the time we get back to school." She opened her door, ushering an amused Arnold out into her hallway and following behind him. "And don't try and stop me, Football Head—you know me: if I want to do it, I'm going to do it, and even if you fight me on it I'll just find a way to do it behind your back with a trench coat and a voice box." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking at him with a smile.

Arnold had to laugh. "Well…that's nice of you, Helga…but I think I'll be okay walking around for a _little_ while longer. To be honest," he took a step closer to her, "I was hoping, even if you don't want to talk about everything with everyone, that you still might come with me to Slausen's to meet up with them…" He smiled. "I'd say it was my treat to say thanks for everything you did but, like I said, your Dad's paying for it all for the rest of the day, so…" He shrugged slightly.

Helga smiled at the joke, but glanced down. "Honestly, Football Head, it really does sound tempting but I'd kind of like to get back to bed, myself." She looked at him, frowning slightly. "And I wish _you_ would too…" She crossed her arms over her chest. "Staying up for almost two days straight and running around the city half the night, like that…I mean, at least I had the sense to bring a coat with me and to go take a nap the second everything was done and I could breathe again. _Have_ you even gotten a chance to sleep yet, Football Head?"

Arnold couldn't help but blink in surprise at the genuine concern for his well being shining through the ever-thinning veil of Helga G. Pataki sarcasm. "You…" he started slowly, a smile forming on his face, "you really care if I'm okay, right now, don't you, Helga?" The touch of amazement and pleasant surprise in his voice was more than apparent.

Helga blinked and glanced down, her eyes wide. "Well I…I just don't want you to get something while we're still talking together and then give it me…_that's_ all. I mean," she tried to scowl, "I had to put _enough_ things in my life on hold to fix this FTi mess you just had to bring your do-gooder ways into—the _last_ thing I need is to be out flat on my back for a week with some kind of bug just because you're getting all chummy on me and aren't taking care of yourself, Football Head…" Again, she was attempting the old biting sarcasm, and again it was just coming out as playful and humorous. In a way, though, Helga didn't entirely mind it—it was nice to just talk to Arnold like this. To not have to be fighting tooth and nail to keep the ruse from slipping even a little lest he suddenly give her one of those curious looks like he couldn't understand why she was helping him with something or saying something nice to him or doing something that proved she at least cared about him a _little_…one of those looks that at the same time, though, hinted, always to her great fear, that somehow, in some small and totally unaware way, he knew what the _real_ reason might be for her actions around him…

Arnold just sighed and smiled at her. "Well, I guess that _does_ make sense, Helga." She couldn't help but smile at the way he seemed to be trying to let her off the hook again just slightly—just like before with the confession. He continued, swallowing before he spoke. "But…_hypothetically_…if the reason you just said all that stuff WAS because you care about what happens to me…just a little…well, thanks." He really looked at her for a moment, staring into her now worried-looking eyes which were trying to process how close he was coming, again, to the edges of her secret. Helga was aware that Arnold might know everything now, but that fact wasn't enough to cancel out the twist of fear she had _always_ felt inside whenever anyone examined her relationship with him too closely...especially when he was the one doing it. "And um, hypothetically, again…" her beloved continued, swallowing once more, "You know, Helga…I care about what happens to you _too_…in a way…" He felt a warmth come to his face and looked down. "I mean…like I said, you're a really good person, Helga, and…you're one of my best friends…" He glanced back up at her again.

She just looked at him, wide eyed. "I…I'm one of your best friends?"

He half smiled at the disbelief in her voice, and nodded. "Of course, Helga…I know we don't always get along and that we don't always get to spend a lot of time together but… When we do, it's… kind of nice…and it always seems to work out in the end." He laughed. "Like with saving the neighborhood."

Helga blinked and smiled. "Thanks…Arnold," she said in a voice full of genuine happiness.

Arnold laughed once more to himself. "No problem, Helga." He took another step toward her and took one of her hands in his own. "Now, come on…I know you're tired but do you think you could do me a favor and just get _one_ sundae at Slausen's with me? Please! I don't think anyone could say anything about your 'reputation' just for having a little ice cream, right?" He winked at her.

Arnold didn't know why (and, unbeknownst to him, he probably wouldn't know why for a _very_ long time, if _ever_) but Helga definitely visibly blushed at something he'd just said. He raised an eyebrow at her, awaiting a response or an explanation or both.

"Well…I…" she managed to start, "I guess I could get a cone or something, Arnoldo…" She smiled, her eyes half lidded, and Arnold, with a blink, almost thought he heard her sigh…or try _not_ to sigh, at least. "I…I mean…" She seemed trying to regain her words, but it was like something was suddenly preventing that interesting way she had of putting everything in the world from coming out.

And then, Arnold glanced down at the hand he realized he had suddenly grabbed in his slight desperation to get her to come to the ice cream parlor where their friends (and hopefully a very special surprise) were waiting. He then looked from said hand in his grasp back to Helga's almost dreamy face…and finally he made the connection.

_'She's can't speak because I'm…touching her…?'_

Instantly, Arnold let her hand go and put both of his own behind his back, feeling himself blush slightly. He cleared his throat and tried to smile at the affirmative response she'd given so far to his invitation. "Oh, uh, great, Helga. The uh…the more the merrier…" He did his best to look at her as he finished, smiling nervously.

At the sound of his voice (and at losing the warm, almost electric feeling she had been getting from his hand tenderly holding her own), Helga blinked and considered for half a second before suddenly picking up right where she had left off the response she had already started giving him. "I mean, sheesh, Football Head," she tried to smile, "I guess you and that persuasive, always-positive attitude of yours were bound to get through even to _me,_ _one_ of these days." She cleared her throat and did her best to give him another punch in the shoulder, though this one was barely harder than her first playful one had been. "Anyway, come on—like you said, I obviously didn't get a chance to eat breakfast yet and I'm _starving_!" She saw a slightly guilty look come to Arnold's face, and he gestured back into her open room with his head, his mouth open as though about to say something. Helga glanced inside before he could talk, saw what the problem probably was, and then just turned back to him with a reassuring smile, closing her bedroom door. "And don't worry about the mess in my room, Mr. Responsible—I'll get it later." She crossed her arms over her chest, glancing away from him. "For now, though, I mean, _hey_—we just saved the neighborhood, my Dad's paying for us to stuff our faces, _and_ we don't have school until Monday because all of this insanity decided to fall on a weekend—even if we're both a little sleepy, what could make this day better, right?" She laughed just a bit nervously, and then slipped down the stairs in front of Arnold, leading the way.

Arnold couldn't help but watch her curiously as she walked down the stairs…and he couldn't help but half smile at her attempt to back pedal out of their brief awkward situation with the hands before quickly racing away from him with that nervous laugh…almost like not only the physical contact but just being _near_ him did something to her that she needed a break from for a minute…

Arnold shook his head as he felt himself slipping off into another thought tangent. He quickly raced downstairs, catching up with Helga. He smiled as he just beat her to the front door, opening it for her. "Yeah, it really is a special day…for all those reasons…and for others too…" He winked at her.

Helga was about to just nod her head and give a him quick 'yeah,' when that last clause he'd tacked on to his reply to her really sunk in. She looked at Arnold with an eyebrow raised.

Arnold, however, just sighed and continued smiling. He held open the door for her a little wider. "Come on, Helga…we don't want everything but rum raisin to be gone when we get there, so we better hurry…" He gestured out the door with his head, still looking at her. "And it's ladies first."

Helga blinked and looked down, putting her hands shyly behind her back. "OH…um…thanks, Arnold…" She exited out to her stoop. "I mean…whatever floats your boat, Football Head." This time, despite the familiar language, the sarcastic disclaimer sounded just as sweet and sincere as Helga's initial thank you to her beloved.

Arnold followed after her, shutting the door to her house behind him. _'I can think about all this Helga stuff later…_' he thought to himself, filing away the thing about touching her in his mind to deal with whenever he got the chance along with about a million other things now. '_Right now, though, it's her birthday, and for everything she's done for me, no matter why she did it all, I need to make this perfect for her…I want to_.' He felt a sadness come over him as his thoughts progressed just a bit more as he made his way down Helga's stoop to join her on the sidewalk. '_She hasn't said anything about the day, though…not once. She mentioned all the important stuff we did for everyone else, but even when I said that it was also a special day for other reasons, she just looked at me like she didn't understand what I meant_…' And suddenly he felt a very big pang of guilt…accompanied by a wave of sadness inside of himself. '_I wonder…I wonder if she was so busy helping me and Gerald that she actually forgot that it's her birthday today…?_'

As Arnold had been having these thoughts, his face had suddenly changed from smiling to pensive, from pensive to melancholy, and from melancholy to downright sad. And his strange words coupled with his overall strange behavior, and now this sudden external shift finally caught Helga's attention enough to make her say something.

"Arnold, is there something going on I should know about?" She raised an eyebrow and looked at him with genuine curiosity…and a genuine bit of suspicion...

"Huh?!" Arnold blinked, coming out of his ruminations. He looked at Helga. "I mean…_NO,_ of _course_ not…" He smiled sheepishly. "Why, uh, why would you say that?"

She rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't know, Arnoldo, maybe because you're saying random things and doing random things and acting really randomly around me in general, and it just seems like _something's_ up. Not to mention you just did a notably _horrible_ job of trying to lie to me." She scowled at him. "Seriously, Football head—spill or I'm heading back inside to finish sleeping this insanity off for the next thirty six hours! Is there something I should know about?"

Arnold swallowed, but did his best to sigh and remind himself that he had to keep going if he didn't want to ruin her surprise. "Nothing…_really_, Helga..." He began slowly, choosing his words carefully, "I mean, nothing _bad_…just…." He hesitated, his eyes focusing on something for just a second…and then grabbed her hand once more. He looked into her eyes. "Just…come and have some ice cream with me. I think it'll be the perfect end to this day…somehow."

Arnold couldn't help but notice a slight pinkening in her cheeks as her wide eyes traveled almost imperceptibly from his eyes to their hands and then back to his eyes.

Quickly, though, Helga recalled what he had been saying to her and cleared her throat, actually smirking at him a bit. "Arnold, it's barely one o'clock in the afternoon—how the heck is this in any way the 'end of the day.' "

Arnold rolled his eyes and smiled. "Why don't we just agree that it's the 'end of the day' for everyone who's been awake since the _last_ time it was one o'clock in the afternoon, Helga…" He winked and she almost laughed. He lifted up their hands slightly. "Now, let's go…" And with a smile he began to lead her down the street. She followed, he noticed, with no resistance.

As they got a few houses down, Arnold slowed a bit and released her hand, allowing them to walk side by side…and giving them a chance to talk. "So…" Arnold finally managed to get the courage to start now that they were alone and his plan for Helga's birthday finally seemed to be in the process of working out, "As long as we're going to be alone walking together for a little while longer…" He took a breath.

Helga, who had been lost in some private, pleasant thoughts and also mentally swearing that she was _never_ going to wash her hand _ever_ again, blinked and turned to her beloved at this cryptic introduction to whatever he was going to say next. She cautiously raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to go on.

Arnold just continued speaking, not noticing her reaction and still smiling. "…And as long as we're uh…sharing...a bit more than usual, today…considering everything that's happened… Can I ask you a question, Helga?" He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and could already feel a slight blush creeping into his face. With a swallow, he had to admit to himself that a big part of actually voicing the question on his mind right now probably _was_ the lack of sleep which must be affecting his judgment a little… But, regardless, he couldn't help but also add to himself, as long as his entire perception of Helga G. Pataki _was_ getting changed today and as long as she _was_ being a bit more open than usual, it seemed to him he might as well go as far with it all as possible right now and then sort the whole thing out later after a good night's sleep and a few days to sort some things out in his head…

Of course, though, Arnold had wanted to let Helga's hand go _before_ he voiced what he was curious about, which was why he'd done so a few seconds ago… If she really wanted to answer him, she'd answer, and if she didn't want to, he'd accept that too… '_She should do whatever really makes her happy no matter what I want…'_ he couldn't help but smile to himself as he added mentally, '_Especially on her birthday.'_

Meanwhile, he noticed that Helga was looking away from him again with that wide eyed, worried look, trying her best to put a casual smile on her nervous face. '_He's either about to be a jerk and ask me something completely anticlimactic like 'What time is it' or he's really just going to let rip a really big question right now, isn't he? I mean…_' she swallowed guiltily, '_It's not like he doesn't deserve at least one freebie considering everything I did to him on the roof of that building…and the years of torture…and how incredible he's being about this whole 'free pass on your confession' thing, but…_' She sighed mentally to herself and considered for a moment: this whole 'Helga, can I ask you just one question' scenario did indeed have the capacity to be awkward beyond all reason…but, Helga had to admit to herself, they _were_ alone right now, and they _were_ getting along, and this whole thing _didn't_ seem to be bothering Arnold all that much…and even if something bad _did_ happen, couldn't they just casually blame it on the lack of sleep at the time just as they'd blamed her confession on the heat of the moment?

Helga sighed, finally having settled on a response to Arnold's request of her permission to ask his question. She did her best to smile as she replied casually, "You, uh, you can ask whatever you want, Football He—Arnold…" She laughed a bit nervously, glancing at him. "Whether or not I'll _answer_ is an entirely different question…but I'll give it my best shot!" He turned to her slightly, smiling at the reply, and Helga couldn't help but feel her heartbeat quicken. She glanced away again and added in an habitual attempt at saving face, "I mean, not that I'm trying to _hide_ anything, or something like that but...you know…I just…might not know the answer to what's on your mind, Football Head…heh heh…" She shrugged.

They turned a corner and Arnold took a breath and swallowed and then finally began, looking down and forward. "Well…when you first woke up you thought me being in your room was a dream…and I know you wouldn't _ever_ dream about a 'Football Head' head like me except for the fact that you had to keep helping me for the last two days, like you said but…I guess I was just wondering…" He took a breath and did his best to get out the rest of the question, "Well, you were smiling and you didn't want me to leave…so, hypothetically again, what…uh, what did you think I was there for, exactly…?" He kept looking forward, the image of that pillow on her bed still burning in his mind.

"Oh…" Helga was silent for a moment as she considered possible responses to this question, all of which ended either in total humiliation or Arnold giving her a completely 'not buying it' look thus returning them to one of the responses that lead to total humiliation… And then, suddenly, a very interesting strategy for dealing with an Arnold situation of this magnitude occurred to her for the first time…well, considering close to six hours ago, technically for the _second_ time…and she couldn't help but figure ironically to herself before actually going through with it, '_Hey, what the heck do I have to lose? My 'secret' or something…_'

Helga sighed and smiled, and then crossed her arms over her chest. Then (in as casual and humorous a voice as possible, of course), she actually told Arnold the truth…just like she'd done on the roof of the FTi building (well, not exactly like on the roof of the FTi building…but close enough). "Well, gee, Arnoldo, isn't is obvious—I thought you were showing up in my room as my knight in shining armor to take me away from the mundane dreariness of this big city life to a fabulous existence traveling around the world together: coffee in Paris, roses, sailboats, the whole nine yards." She shook her head and laughed. "And then you had to go and ruin it by actually being real for once…you owe me for that, Football Head. I really _do_ expect to be treated by you to some ice cream one of these days."

Helga continued a few paces more forward, trying not laugh even more at her comments, when she blinked and suddenly noticed that Arnold wasn't following her. She stopped and turned around, an eyebrow raised. And her eyes opened a bit as she saw him just standing there, wide eyed, and looking at her—totally frozen.

It really took everything Helga had not to burst into laughter at the sight of him. She just sighed and walked back to her beloved. "Hey, uh, Arnoldo? Not that this new 'deer in the headlights' look you've started specializing in isn't precious, but, Crimeny, lighten up and learn how to take a joke, already." She winked and scoffed. "Seriously, for someone who's supposed to be the most modest person in the world you sure have a bit of an ego, don't you, Football Head?" She shyly dug one of her feet into the sidewalk a bit and did her best to add in a continued casual/playful tone, "About thinking I was actually just pouring my heart out to you all of a sudden about how you're my 'secret obsession' or something, I mean."

Arnold blinked as she finished speaking and felt a slight blush come to his cheeks. He swallowed and glanced away sheepishly. "Oh…uh…yeah. Heh, heh…sorry, Helga."

Helga just rolled her eyes, still smiling and still keeping up the teasing tone. "I mean, come on, Arnold…_me_ dreaming that _you're_ some kind of prince who's going to take me away from all of this…" She gestured to the still-debris-ridden streets and smoky buildings around them. "Yeah in _your_ dreams, maybe, Arnoldo. Seriously," she clasped her hands together angelically and batted her eyelashes a bit humorously, "I'm just _waiting_ for the marriage proposal!"

Helga didn't know why (and, unbeknownst to her, she probably wouldn't know why for a _very_ long time, if _ever_) but Arnold blushed a bit more considerably at this last comment of hers. He cleared his throat. "Oh…uh, yeah…marriage proposal…good one, Helga…heh, heh…" He glanced away as he finished off his response with that nervous laugh.

There was another slight awkward silence between the two kids, though the majority of the discomfort with this one seemed to be falling on Arnold.

Finally, Helga sighed and took another step closer to him. "Okay, okay, enough of this sentimental mush, Football Head. We're kids and we're hungry and we're going to go and pig out on free make-it-yourself ice cream sundaes until we pass out. Now, can we just get to the ice cream parlor already before we 'accidentally-on purpose' stumble across any _more_ elephants in the room between us?" With a smile and a laugh, she grabbed a still slightly flustered looking Arnold's hand in a quick bold decision and began walking up the street, semi-pulling him in tow. "Come on, head-boy—you started this Slausen's thing, now let's see it through!" She sighed once more and laughed to herself again, "Crimeny, Arnoldo—Slausen's, FTi— you really _do_ need me around to finish the things you start, don't you?"

For a few seconds, Arnold just continued looking at her as she led him to Slausen's, a surprised eyebrow raised as he stumbled along in her wake. Everything she'd just said and the jokes she'd just made finally processed with him though, and suddenly he found himself laughing a bit and then actually walking forward at a normal pace to keep up with her once more.

Their walk progressed and, as it did so, the two fourth graders actually managed to casually chat and joke a bit and even have some fun just spending a little quality time together! And, though, for a little while, Arnold considered removing his hand from Helga's in case it was making her uncomfortable or embarrassed, in the end he decided to leave it in her grasp for as long as she would have it. She actually seemed…happy right now… and it was kind of…well…_nice_ to talk to her when she was like this, he couldn't help but realize to himself. _'Well…it is her birthday…If she wants to hold my hand…if it makes her happy, I mean_…' he couldn't help but mentally sigh to himself as, on the outside, his smile grew just a bit, '_Well then…why not_?' Something clever that Helga had just finished saying brought Arnold out of his thoughts for a second, and made him laugh…and at the feeling of warmth that the action created inside of him, Arnold, strangely enough, couldn't help but also add at the back of his mind in reference to the rare bit of physical contact they were having… _'I think it's even making me feel a little better about everything today, too…'_

Meanwhile, on _Helga's_ internal side of the conversation, she was just thoroughly enjoying the rare bit of close time she was finally experiencing with her beloved, and how well they were actually getting along…And, of course, the feeling of his warm hand still grasping hers. '_Heck, even though I did blow my secret like a neutron bomb before, maybe this is a sign that the rest of today won't be completely horrible…right?_' Of course, at the back of her mind, she still felt a bit of the familiar fear that someone was going to look out of a window and see them talking together and holding hands like this or that they were going to bump into someone around the next street corner who would start pointing and laughing at them, and that her life would suddenly be over forever… But…and there was every chance in the world that it was just the result of the tail end of her 'adventure adrenaline rush' coupled with the need for a few more hours of serious sleep…somehow, she just didn't care all that much about all that...at least, not as much as she usually did. In fact, thinking about it, the idea of getting 'caught' suddenly seemed more like a minor inconvenience to her than her greatest nightmare come true. She sighed to herself mentally. '_First thing Monday morning when we're surround by people six hours a day, I'll I'm sure good old 'defensive me' will be back in full swing, but…for now, at least…some ice cream really does sound good…' _Helga smiled just bit more on the outside at the private joke. '_Besides_,' she added to herself, laughing at the sound of her beloved laughing at something she'd just said, and then replying with something that was actually a bit cute and that made her smile even more, '_if anyone could use some relaxation time, it's me… Crimeny, I don't even think I know what day it is anymore, at this point… A few sleepless nights will do that to you, though, I guess…_'

And with these separate thoughts as they enjoyed a rare mutual conversation, the Arnold and Helga continued on their way to Slausen's…and (though only one of them was aware of this) to somewhere…or rather some_thing_ else as well…

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**A/N:**

Okay, so, I don't know about you guys, but my favorite thing to write at least was the whole thing with her dreaming and calling out his name in the beginning, lol! Poor Helga—I really think that in season 6 her luck would have completely reversed and Arnold would have just been stumbling across her crazy schemes and random shenanigans left, right and sideways ;) SIGH—Why did the execs at Nick have no VISION!!!??? Anyway, I'm gonna go back to my every day life as a mild mannered college student and think up idea for what should happen when they get to Slausen's… So until then…

Happy Reading!!!

And AXH FOREVER!!!

~Azure129 aka Jenna


	3. Walking and Talking

**A/N:**

Hey guys!!! Okay, so, I'm so sorry this didn't end up getting finished within like the first week of February like I had originally planned but you would not believe the amount of writers block I had with this story! Ugh, SO many dead ends, and total blanks, and things needing to be switched around and reworked… Anyway, here's chapter 3 and there's going to be a chapter 4 (which is all written and just needs some grammar edits) and a brief epilogue that takes place the following week after the April Fools Dance (that's about half written but all worked out) and I'll be posting those two at the same time before the week's out ;) Again, I'm so sorry for the delay (and for the haiatus on Dinner and a Show for anyone reading that story) but on top of writers block I've also got a really big HA! Fanfic project in the works that I'm dying to post but I don't want to until I have a full draft written out so that there'll be no delays with updates, but it's a seriously long story so a bunch of my free time has also been going into that. I really hope you guys like it when I finally get it up, though (hopefully, asap before the summer).

Okay, enough rambling from me! Enjoy ;)

**A PERFECT TEN**

**Chapter 3:**

**Walking and Talking**

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'_Crimeny, I don't even think I know what __day__ it is anymore, at this point…A few sleepless nights will do that to you, though, I guess…'_

A happy silence had settled between Helga and Arnold, who were still walking up the street together…still holding hands…as Helga had this thought.

Now that she wasn't also keeping up some casual conversation, though, Helga had a chance to linger on this last mental observation…In point of fact, she had indeed lost track of the exact date between the spying and the all night stakeouts and the fact that suddenly it had gone from last night to this morning and she'd gone to bed at 8am only to be woken up near noon, somehow feeling like another day had passed even though it hadn't. '_Let's see…this whole mess started on Thursday the 21__st__ with Bob showing up at the house with that Nick guy with those contracts…the 22__nd__ the 23__rd__…_'

Helga continued to do the math in her head.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped wide open and she stopped walking, causing the hand of Arnold, who was continuing to walk forward, to slip out of her own.

At the loss of contact with Helga, Arnold stopped and turned around to look at her with an eyebrow raised. "Helga…are you okay?"

"Huh?" She blinked once as though being interrupted from an important thought. Finally, though, her eyes came back into focus and she turned back to her beloved. "Oh…uh…Arnold? This…might sound like a weird question but…well, like you said, we've both been missing out on a lot of sleep lately, so…"

Arnold couldn't help but look at her with a bit of concern, his curiosity seriously growing. "Helga, you don't have to make excuses. Just…ask me the question and I'll do my best to give you an answer, okay?" He smiled encouragingly at her.

Helga swallowed, her eyes still a bit wide. "Okay….well, uh…do you know, uh…what day it is? I mean, I'm already pretty sure it's Sunday, but, like, the date of the month…specifically?"

Arnold blinked, and then suddenly couldn't help a small smile coming to his face as it occurred to him where this question might be going. "It's the 24th of March, Helga."

She glanced down, her brow furrowed a bit as though in thought, and remained that way for several seconds. "Oh…" finally escaped her mouth. And then, to Arnold's surprise, she shook her head as though trying to clear it, took a breath, and gave Arnold a weak smile. "Okay…uh, thanks, Football Head. I appreciate it." She glanced away again, putting her hands behind her back. "I mean, I just didn't want to be walking around and have someone ask me a question as simple as what day it is today, and to look like an idiot or something because I couldn't answer…"

Helga found herself looking up as she noticed, to her surprise, Arnold's shadow on the sidewalk coming toward her a bit. Her eyes meeting his, she saw that he was smiling a bit and that his half lidded gaze had just a touch more scrutiny to it than usual. He leaned just a bit close to her. "Is that all, Helga…" She continued to stare it him with incomprehension on her face. Arnold's smile grew just a touch more and he added in explanation, "I mean, is that the only reason you wanted to know the date?"

Helga swallowed hard. He WAS awfully close to her right now, after all. "Well, I…I just…I mean…" '_Yeah, okay, it's my birthday—freaking whoop de doo!'_ she thought to herself. '_This day isn't about me, though, it's about Arnold saving half this city and our friends and our houses and me on top of it all! I'm not going to take away from that for something as stupid as me turning ten. Besides, Bob never remembers, Miriam never remembers, the other kids never remember except for Phoebe…it's not like it's such a sacrifice for me to not bring it up now, or something_.'

Helga sighed and glanced away from him. "Uh…well, yeah, of course, Arnold." She did her best to give him a smile, though even she knew it was probably a weak one. "Just trying to get my bearings, be prepared for whatever's next." She shrugged. "Can't have an 'epic secret reason' for doing _everything_, Football Head." And with that she resumed walking forward, her hands behind her back. '_I should probably quit subtly confirming that I meant everything I said on that building and that I actually do love him, shouldn't I? I mean, he knows…that's obvious. And it's all probably going to hit me tomorrow morning and make me freak out and never want to look him in the eye again, and the, like I said, we'll be right back to good old defensive 'Watch where you're going, geek bait' me… But, all that aside for now…Arnold __does__ know…but maybe I should lay off beating him over the head with it._'

Helga's thoughts were stopped by the feeling of Arnold suddenly grabbing one of her hands...and the sound of him laughing slightly to himself. She blinked and turned around to face him.

She was just met with Arnold's smiling face. "No, I guess you can't have an 'epic secret reason' for doing _everything_, Helga…"

Helga felt herself blush as she glanced down at Arnold holding her hand again and then glanced back up at the half lidded gaze he was still giving her.

Helga felt herself laughed nervously. She swallowed and stepped back away from Arnold casually, allowing her hand to slip from his. "Uh, Footba—Arnold…you know, I…might not be the _only_ one letting the lack of sleep and certain, uh, _things_ mess with me a little… I mean, there's no need to do me any favors…" She cleared her throat. "Not that there's anything that you could do favors _for_, of course, really, but uh…you know…just saying… And, uh, besides, I mean, we're almost at Slausen's and if people saw us…you know…" she couldn't bring herself to say 'holding hands' aloud, "They, uh, they might get the wrong impression or something…Heh, heh…" She turned around and did her best to resume casually walking forward, though she could feel her heart pounding in her chest from the memory of her love's last touch and from the sudden realization that he had indeed been holding her hand for almost this entire walk, almost like he was actually _enjoying_ it…

Suddenly, she heard Arnold's footsteps move quickly to catch up with her and he spoke with a smile as he managed to get alongside her again. "Well, I guess you're right about that, Helga…The last thing we'd want anyone to think is that you like spending time with an old 'Football Head' like me, right?"

Helga saw him wink at her out of the corner of her eye and practically felt her heart drop into her stomach. '_Every time we're alone from now on, he's just never going to let me forget this, is he?'_

Externally, Helga swallowed hard and managed a nervous glance at him. "Uh, right...right. Last thing I need is people thinking that I've gone soft, especially because of a shrimp like you, and just because we're kind of having a truce right now. Heh, heh…"

She couldn't help but notice Arnold frown slightly. He was looking forward. "Yeah…I guess there really isn't much time until things go back to the way they were before…if that's what you want."

Helga blinked and looked at him. "What…what do you mean?"

Arnold blinked as though finally processing what he had just said. He looked at her. "Oh…well…just that…" he couldn't help but smile, "I don't know…we never get a chance to just talk like this and laugh and…you just seem happier than usual today, Helga. And I guess I kind of…like it…" He swallowed and looked forward again, though his smile continued. "I'm sorry if the hand holding thing made you uncomfortable before…but, you seemed so relaxed and you weren't letting go, so I didn't think I should either…and then I guess we both just got so comfortable that we forgot it was happening." He almost laughed. "Kind of a 'heat of the moment' thing, I guess…"

His entire explanation had been making Helga's heart flutter wildly in her chest. At this final joke, though, she couldn't help but grin just slightly. She rolled her eyes and gave him a playful nudge. "You are just going to keep at these side jokes aren't you Football Head? Not that it's not an improvement over the wide eyed stare but you'd better cut it out when we see everyone…" She laughed slightly. "If I don't want them thinking I actually like spending time with a geek like you—ugh, and who _would_?!" She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Then I _definitely_ don't want them finding out that we've suddenly become best friends or something all because of everything I did on FTi…"

The words were out of her mouth before she could think about it and her eyes suddenly went wide. "I mean 'about' FTi, er, 'with' FTi, 'for' FTi…heh, heh…heh…" She swallowed hard and stared straight forward. _'I have SUCH a big mouth_.'

She managed, out of the corner of her eye, to glance at Arnold (who she expected to be reverted back to frozen shock). To her surprise, though, he was just looking forward, a slight smile on his face, and…blushing slightly? Helga had to look down again. '_He is really REALLY cute when he blushes! And I'm __making__ him blush!_' She girlishly sighed internally.

"Wh-whatever you say, Helga…" She heard him swallow hard after delivering this refrain, and then he pulled just a bit ahead of her.

Helga stopped moving at this response, watching Arnold continue on several paces ahead before he stopped as well and then turned back to her to see why she was no longer by his side.

Helga's arms were crossed over her chest and her eyes were wide. She had one eyebrow slightly raised and was just looking at him, Arnold notice, like she couldn't figure out something.

"Helga?" Arnold blinked. "What?"

"You…" Helga's face was so full of disbelief that she could actually feel herself almost smiling. "You're actually NOT just trying to be nice to me, are you, Football Head?" She recalled that look and that smile she'd just seen on him. "You…you're actually _okay_ with all of this randomness and insanity, aren't you? I mean…" she hesitated, but then went for it, "You actually kind of don't mind it all in a way…do you…?"

Just for a second that wide-eyed stare of Arnold's was back. But then, suddenly, he just sighed to himself and his smile returned. He looked at Helga. "Helga, I don't suddenly 'hate' you for going out of your way to help me, if that's what you mean. I know I was…a little surprised at first…. But, all you did was the right thing. I'm…I'm really proud of you. And I…" he hesitated for a second, like a new thought was occurring to him, "I'm really happy that I found out that you were Deep Voice…and that Deep Voice was you." He swallowed. "Actually, I don't think I can think of anyone else who I'd rather it had been…" He blinked and looked at her nervously. "I mean, for helping me save the neighborhood…" He glanced away.

Helga felt a warmth come to her face and her heart pound away in her chest. _'He…he likes that I…that I helped him and that I did the right thing for him…and maybe that I…_' She could feel scarlet flooding her cheeks and suddenly shook her head, doing her best to clear it of THAT unimaginable thought. '_Yeah, he just loves that you, the creepiest girl on the planet and his self proclaimed mortal enemy, suddenly mauled his innocent little self on the roof of a building six hours ago._' She scoffed internally.

On the outside, Helga cleared her throat and managed to reply to Arnold's encouraging words with a half smile on her face and a genuine desire to confirm his words. "You…you're happy that I was a part of everything, Football Head? Really?"

Arnold just smiled at her and raised his eyes to meet hers again. "Well, I think it might have been a bit more interesting if I'd found out it was you sooner…" Helga crossed her arms over her chest, just smiling at him. Arnold continued. "But, like I said, Helga, you're one of my best friends, and I liked you acting like I was one of yours for once… It was…it was nice." To his great surprise, Arnold suddenly became aware that his heart had just skipped a beat. He glanced down again and tried to backpedal. "Seeing a different side of you, I mean…" His eyes went wide. "I mean…the different side of you that was helping me instead of calling me names, heh, heh… Not…not the different side of you that you didn't mean to, um… that was because things were a little…"

Suddenly, to Arnold's surprise, as he finally managed the courage to look at Helga again he saw her just laugh slightly at him, roll her eyes, smirk and then walk forward. She gave him a small pat on the shoulder. "Hey, Football Head, anytime you want to quit letting that ego of yours lead you to even more obviously ridiculous conclusions about me and who I really am, just let me know and we can continue this walk." She removed her hand from his shoulder and continued on ahead.

After a second, Arnold began to follow behind her, though not with his former enthusiasm as his thoughts were quite occupied all of a sudden. '_Why…why do I keep slipping about everything like that and talking to her like that and smiling at her like that, and…and why did I take her hand again…?!' _Arnold couldn't help but be struck by the fact that, just yesterday, he had been _sure_ if thoughts about doing things like _that_ with Helga had even CROSSED HIS MIND that she would have somehow found out and beaten the stuffing out of him. But now… _'It's almost like…like she's making me I feel like I_…'

"Hey, Arnold! I'm serious—don't go all 'catatonic' on me now or anything, okay? Sheesh, you need to learn how to relax…."

At the sound of Helga addressing him again, Arnold suddenly blinked and looked up into her curious looking gaze. "Oh…s-sorry, Helga. I guess I just kind of zoned out there for a second. I think I've just…got a lot on my mind…"

He'd been expecting a sarcastic comment but, instead, Helga just rolled her eyes and blushed slightly (Arnold couldn't help but notice). "Yeah well…since I'm the one who probably put at least half of whatever's in that wide mind of yours there in the first place, I guess I can't beat you up or anything just because you're a little more dazed than usual." She let out a breath, still grinning. "Now, come on—just keep putting one foot in front of the other and maybe we'll actually make it to that ice cream you keep dangling in my face before summer break, okay?"

She turned to face forward again, and Arnold straightened his tie and managed to reply nervously, "Oh, uh, yeah…right behind you, Helga." He proceeded forward as well, trying to keep up with her as usual…though his mind was still a bit weighed down by his sudden strange behavior and around Helga G. Pataki of all people. '_She's just so…so different than usual right now, though… I mean, the smiling and the jokes and the honesty…I guess it's still just confusing me a little._' He tried to tell himself that this was the simple reason for his behavior and to leave it at that…but the explanation still felt incomplete. Arnold considered and then finally admitted to himself with a heavy internal sigh, '_But…I don't know…maybe I'm also just letting it get to me a little that she was my first…my first…'_ Arnold couldn't even think the word without blushing. '_My first kiss_…' Though Arnold had been trying to avoid thoughts about _that_ little part of Helga's confession until he could really have some time to himself later to sort it out along with the rest of the stuff currently confusing him about her, he couldn't help but feel the memory wash over him for a moment, creating a warmth in his stomach and making his heart pound just slightly. And these physical reactions surprised him just a bit to say the least. He tried to reassure himself, though. '_It's just because of how she ki-kissed me…and for how long…_' And yet these flimsy reassurances only brought the memory more and more into his consciousness: just how tightly she'd held him, just how intensely and passionately she'd pressed her body and her mouth to his own, the feeling of her lips softly but firmly moving against his own, her hands in his hair, and how his mind had suddenly gone blank and he'd suddenly felt, felt… Arnold's eyes went wide. _'I…did I…__like__…kissing her…?'_ Instantly, the thought of Helga's kiss was replaced by the mental image of that mauled pink pillow on her bed that she had been cradling and whispering his name to in her sleep, before… '_Maybe…maybe that's what the pillow was doing to make her so happy…maybe it was liking it…maybe it was even doing it bac—'_

"Arnold, for Pete's Sake, snap OUT of it already!!!"

At the sound of this exclamation from Helga Pataki, coupled with the feeling of her firmly grabbing one of his wrists and slamming him against the side of a building, Arnold blinked and instantly realized he was suddenly taking several quick breaths through his nose and that…to his great confusion and slight terror….his heart was pounding just a bit more than it did on most walks with 'friends'…and maybe not entirely from the shock of suddenly being pinned against a wall.

"Football Head, what is _with_ you?!" He suddenly looked up and saw a very worried looking Helga standing in front of him, pressing him by his shoulders against the building. Making his shoulders warm…just how she'd made them warm on top of the FTi building: grabbing him and pulling him close, like the two of them almost were right now…so that she could…

Arnold felt that twist in his stomach again and instantly cut off his thoughts and feelings right there. He swallowed hard and did his best to finally speak. "Wh-what do you mean, He-Helga?"

Helga blinked at the stuttering and then scowled at him. She pulled back and gestured to the sidewalk alongside them with one hand, keeping her other hand on his shoulder (he more than noticed.) Arnold's eyes went wide as he saw what she was referring to: a very large open manhole with caution sings around it. "HEL-LO, Football Head! We're just casually strolling up the sidewalk, I'm trying to make a harmless joke or two to undo SOME of the awkwardness that keeps popping up between us, and you're just staring off into space looking like you've stumbled upon some horrible truth and then step halfway into that thing before I pulled you away!" She turned back to him, putting her second hand back on his other shoulder, her scowl turning back to that worried look. "Crimeny, Football Head, you terrified me enough with half the dangerous stuff you did over the past two days all to keep this crummy old place from getting torn down! Seriously, I know I'm only te-ni-nine, but my heart can't take many more surprises today!" She swallowed, that desperate look still in her eyes. "So, quit trying to scare me, Football Head. I get it—you have some kind of head-in-the-clouds death wish but could you at least put it on hold for a few days so that I have time to regroup for the _next_ time I have to save your oblivious butt behind your back?"

Helga, in her slight panic, was breathing quite heavily at this point, and staring into Arnold's surprised eyes…her hands still on his shoulders.

And Arnold continued staring into her eyes, his breaths becoming shallower and shallower as he became more and more aware that the girl who had just given him his first real kiss only a few hours ago was very close to him again. And that they were alone. And that he could still feel his heart pounding from the anxiety of sudden being pulled out of harm's way by Helga…but maybe also because he had liked…he had maybe actually liked it when she had…

"I…I'm sorry, Deep Vo—Helga. I didn't mean to scare you." Was all he could manage to say in a quiet voice, trying to pull himself away from that thought which he was 'certain' must only creeping into his mind because it was the last thing that he had processed before the shock of feeling himself pulled and then pushed against the wall currently behind him. "I guess I was just…thinking about something else…"

He saw Helga blink…and then couldn't help but notice a very slight blush creep up into her cheeks. She swallowed and responded in an equally quiet voice, her eyes wide, "Yeah…well…just don't…don't do it again…Arno—Football He—Arnold…" '_Why is he just staring into my eyes like that…and breathing like that…and…and what am I doing getting this close to him out in broad daylight?! Or just plain getting this close to him __in general__?!?! I…_' She felt her heartbeat quickening. '_I…I should…I…_' She could barely articulate the thought, though, as her eyes continued to stare into Arnold's…and to peripherally stare at his soft lips… And she felt the memory wash over her of how they'd felt against her own: so warm and so tender and so compliant considering the shock he'd been in when she'd suddenly grabbed him after her confession and kissed him like that… The delicate taste of his mouth finally upon hers where it belonged…She could almost feel her lips tremble at the memory…

Then those lips of his moved as he spoke. "Sorry, Helga…I'll…I'll be more careful next time…" came Arnold's even quieter response to her weak scolding, his eyes still fixed on Helga's.

"You…should be…" she managed with another swallow, trying to pull away from the thought of his lips though the inescapable feelings of her heart fluttering madly and her stomach tying more and more into knots made it difficult to think about things other than her love for Arnold, to say the least…

The two kids, their breathing about as shallow as it could be right now, finally simultaneously let out one slight breath each at these brief concluding words of the small incident between them.

Still, though, Helga didn't make a motion to release Arnold…and Arnold didn't make a motion to try and break from her hold…

'_I almost wish this whole wonderful walk with Arnold WAS a dream…then I could…_' Helga, on instinct, felt herself lean in just ever so slightly.

And something about her motion forward put a touch of recognition into Arnold's eyes… But, rather than trying to slip from her arms as he had done earlier that morning when he'd seen one (or rather several) of Helga's kisses coming like he felt he was doing now…something made Arnold want to…want to close his eyes just slightly and lean just a bit forward himself… Just…_something_…just to see if…

_HONK HONK!!!  
_

"Hey, Shortman! Sheesh, I've been looking all over for you! I thought you'd be knee deep in hot fudge sundaes now courtesy of Big Bob Pataki!" Phil was currently driving the Packard and, upon recognizing his grandson, had just pulled up on the other side of the street from Arnold and Helga to call out to him.

"Yes! Hot fudge sundaes!!!" the voice of Mr. Huynh suddenly added from a backseat window.

"And all _free_! Suzie, you brought your big purse and the cooler, right?" came Oskar Kokoschka's voice from another part of the backseat.

"Oh, Oskar!" Suzie's voice scolded from somewhere in the car too.

"Hey, Gramps, we found the kid so now can we get going already? Come on—I already bet Huynh twenty bucks I could eat five banana splits in a row without hurling and I want to get to it already!" called out Mr. Potts from within the car as well.

"Alright, alright, hold your horses!" Grandpa scowled at the semi-visible occupants of the car and then rolled his eyes. "Sheesh, you'd think I was carting a bunch of preschoolers to free dessert instead of a car full of adults." He turned back to looking at where his grandson was across the street and was about to say a final parting word when suddenly he squinted for a second…and then a sly grin came to his face. "Hey, Arnold…is that your little friend with the pink bow and the one eyebrow with you? What's her name…Helga?"

Now, ever since the sound of the Packard honking had interrupted a potentially very intimate moment between them, Arnold and Helga had just been standing frozen in the position of slowly leaning closer to each other, not breathing. Hearing his grandfather's recognition of Helga, though…and knowing all too well _that_ tone in his voice…and recalling his grandfather's personal (and in point of fact dead on) theory about why Helga was such a bully to him all the time…Arnold finally managed to shift his wide, scared eyes from Helga's to the not too distant car. "Uh…" he managed in as loud a voice as he could, leaning around Helga, "Yeah, Grandpa…I was just…just walking her to Slausen's…We'll uh…we'll be there in a couple of minutes…"

Arnold's eyes shifted back to Helga, though to the region of her neck as he tried to avoid her lips and eyes. He only heard, in response to his quick explanation, the sound of his Grandpa laughing loudly to himself and calling out, "Okay, Shortman, you two just go right back to 'walking' and we'll see you in a 'few minutes', heh, heh, heh!" And with that he sped off down the street, leaving Arnold and Helga alone again.

The warmth in Arnold's face at these parting words from Phil told him that he was blushing considerably. The car suddenly leaving, though, he found himself able to take a few breaths again, though he was still avoiding having to look at Helga's face at all costs. '_I almost…I almost…_' He could instantly recall how quickly his heart had been beating and the feeling of moving just a bit nearer to Helga despite knowing what she was probably about to do, all things considered…and how he'd almost been looking forward to the chance that maybe…_it_…might happen just once more and this time without interruption or a deadline to make…so that maybe he could figure out just what the heck was going on with Helga…and with himself.

Suddenly, his eyes widened and he looked up as he felt Helga release his shoulders. She shifted back and was just standing a couple feet away from him now, looking down nervously and rubbing the back of her neck, blushing just as much as he was sure he was doing. She cleared her throat after a second and then finally spoke. "Uh…come on, Football Head…your grandpa's right. I, uh…I think we almost forgot about getting ice cream and I don't know about you but something to cool off with sounds pretty good about now…" He noticed her eyes go just a bit wider for a second. "I-I mean, because it's such a warm day for this time of year, heh, heh…" She cleared her throat once more and turned back in the direction of Slausen's. "So let's, uh…let's go…" And she began to walk forward again. _'He…he's just tired and I'm just practically hallucinating things and…he didn't lean in. I know he didn't. It was just a trick of the light and me kind of leaning in and…_' She couldn't help but breathe a slight sigh of relief. '_I'm just glad his grandpa came along…Football Head might have let me off the hook for ONE ridiculous kiss today, but if I slipped a second one in there I wouldn't blame him if he never spoke to me again!_'

Arnold just watched her head forward with wide eyes, and then blinked as he recalled that he was supposed to be following her. He quickly straightened his tie, cleared his throat, and then raced to catch up with her. "Helga?"

She almost felt herself spazz at hearing the sound of his voice interrupt her thoughts…especially after what had just almost happened between them. She glanced at him nervously. "Uh…yeah, Arnold…?"

Arnold blinked, realizing that he wasn't exactly sure what it was he wanted to say to her though he knew he wanted to say SOMETHING. "Are, um…are you…okay?" he finally came up with, hesitantly.

Helga blinked at the question. "Uh…fid as a fiddle, Arnoldo, heh, heh…I mean, I might have gotten a little winded from pulling you from your death at that manhole back there, but otherwise, you know, I'm A OK!" _'I'm rambling…oh for the love of—I am RAMBLING! Oh man…I seriously need to get to Slausen's, down the smallest item on the menu as quickly as possible and then get out of there and to the nearest alleyway because I almost just KISSED ARNOLD and if I don't get the chance to monologue about it or actually go through with the kiss then I'm just going to explode!'_

Arnold looked at her strangely for a second at this response, but then suddenly just blinked, a touch of realization coming to his eyes. "Oh…you mean about…about saving me before…"

"Yup, of course!" Helga replied with an obviously nervous smile. "Not much else we could be talking about, is there? Heh, heh…" '_I'm going down like a led balloon. Really, I'm either going to pass out or jump him at the next alley, aren't I?_' She tried to take a deep breath. '_Okay, easy, Helga old girl…focus on something else…anything else besides that heart pounding, eye staring into, lips moving closer, touching each other stuff from before…Come on, there's got to be __something__ that'll easily distract you… After all, along with all the Arnold stuff you've also had six—uh, seven years of a __life,__ so just find something not about him to focus on and…'_ Suddenly a look of realization came into her eyes. '_Ah, okay, of course—I'm __ten__ today. Focus on that! Yup, ten whole years old! Birthday today and everything! All about me and absolutely nothing to do with old Arno—uh, what's his name!_'

Helga was interrupted from her thoughts by the sound of Arnold clearing his throat. "Uh, right…of course… that's…that's what I was talking about too. 'Saving me'… " She heard him swallow hard after strangely emphasizing those last two words. "Just like we…um, you 'saved' me before with helping the neighborhood…"

Helga felt heat rise into her cheeks. _'Oh __please__ don't let him try and talk about the kissing using some thinly veiled metaphor. __**PLEASE**__ don't let him actually try and __TALK__ about the __KISSING__ using some thinly veiled __METAPHOR__!_'

"I mean…not that it wasn't…and not that you're not…" He hesitated and blushed quite a bit more, and this reaction coupled with what he seemed to be half trying to say, not only about his experience with the kiss but about her as a person…maybe even as a _girl_…wasn't lost on Helga. She felt her heartbeat quicken, and only had enough courage to continue glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

Arnold hesitated just a second more and then let out a breath and continued speaking as best he could, abandoning whatever phrasing he had been going for to relate his current feelings. "I just…it's just all a lot to take in…the Deep Voice thing, I mean…and how you did it because you…because you," he swallowed hard, "uh, 'don't hate me.' " He was just looking down as he walked now, his eyes wide and his face full of distress as he tried his best to put into words his feelings without getting too close to the realities of the big, awkward situation currently between them. "I just…think we should both take a little more time to think about some things before anything happ—…before we talk about…" He finally just took a deep breath and settled on, "We just need time to think. _I _need time to think. Okay, Helga?" He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

'_Time to think about what, exactly?'_

Helga wanted to ask the question more than anything in the world. Because, to be frank, this reaction from Arnold to her confession was not one of the ones she had ever imagined in her private fantasies about the incident over the years. Basically the options had always been one of two: Arnold taking her in his arms and admitting that he had always felt the same way and was happy she'd finally revealed her love so that they could be together forever (there was a very SLIM chance of this one being the actual case, Helga knew at the back of her mind, but you couldn't blame a girl for hoping), or the far more likely reaction of total disgust and anger and rejection at the fact that she, the person who had always treated him so horribly—the awkward looking, about as unfeminine as possible, iron-fisted ruler of the fourth grade—was suddenly coming at him with her lips puckered and ready to marry him at a moment's notice.

But _this_ response from Arnold…that he needed time to think about things…what the heck did that mean? '_I mean, I'm happy he's not just saying 'no'…that he's actually kind of accepting it and doesn't hate me for it… But if he has to think about it then…is he thinking that maybe he…'_ She let the wonderful notion flicker in her head for just a second before snuffing it out completely. '_No. I'm being ridiculous. Face facts, Helga old girl—he's never going to suddenly grab you and pull you close and look into your eyes and tell you that he's got a big secret to tell you too… He's just…he's just trying to be nice. And I'm just being stupid_.'

"Helga?"

"Huh?" The sound of Arnold saying her name brought her out of her thoughts and she realized, with a blink, that she had been silent for quite a few seconds as she thought about the question he had put to her. She turned her head to face him.

She watched as Arnold tilted his head to the side slightly and looked at her with a touch of shyness. "Is that okay, Helga? That we just take some time to think about things, I mean…" He glanced away again. "Unless you'd really rather talk about it now…" Arnold mentally sighed to himself. '_I'm sure Phoebe wouldn't mind a little more time to get things ready at Slausen's… Besides, even if we are a little late, no one's going anywhere with free ice cream there...and this might be a little more…more important right now…_' He swallowed and continued, still not having the courage to look at her. "I know I told you that I didn't want to make you do anything you didn't want to do, Helga… But I also don't want to make you _not_ do something that you _want_ to do… And if you…if you really want to talk about it…I guess we could. And I don't think I could blame you… Besides, it _is_ your Birthday…" The last words were out of his very distracted mouth before he could think about them. It took a second for him to realize just what he'd let slip but then suddenly he stopped walking and blinked.

Helga, conveniently enough, stopped walking and blinked at the exact same time. She turned to face Arnold, a stunned look on her face, to say the least. "How did you—I mean, how could you—I mean, who… Football Head, how did you know it's my Birthday?" She finally asked in a very surprised voice.

Arnold glanced away shyly, putting his hands behind his back and hoping he'd be able to answer her question without giving anything else away about other stuff he might be aware of…like a surprise party that Phoebe and Gerald probably had all ready to go by at this point just up the street, for example…

He glanced at her hesitantly. "Oh! Is, um, is it really your Birthday today, Helga? The 24th? I…uh, I guess I just must have known it at the back of my mind or something and said it without thinking."

Helga continued staring at him still in a bit of a stupor for a second or two. Suddenly, though, she folded her arms over her chest and gave him a look, her typical scowl starting to return. "Arnold…you've said about a million ambiguous things about today being 'special' for some reason ever since you broke into my house and woke me up with your constant butting into other people's lives. Now, who told you it's my Birthday and what's going on?"

Arnold took a breath, trying to calm his nerves a little. He crossed his arms over his chest and half smiled at Helga, glancing away. "Well…Phoebe might have mentioned it during the breakfast this morning. She was looking for you with a present…" Arnold paused for a second and then his eyes lit up slightly as an idea came to his mind. "That's why I've been trying to get you to come to Slausen's, actually... She really wanted to give it to you in person and she was going there with some of the other kids, so I promised her I'd find you and bring you along…Everyone deserves something special on their Birthday, Helga—especially when they've just saved an entire neighborhood." He smiled at her just a bit more at her and couldn't help adding a wink…especially since, now that he had finished his explanation 'the truth' behind his strange actions and the purpose of their walk together, she was just looking at him with her blue eyes wide and a rosy blush creeping up into her cheeks.

"You…" she started slowly, blinking several times in disbelief, "You did that…just for…for me?"

Arnold blinked, suddenly realizing that by trying to make her happy he had somehow accidentally created yet another situation between them that could be interpreted as being romantic. He swallowed hard, some of his nervousness returning. "Well…yeah, Helga. Like I said, you're one of my best friends and you helped me and Gerald so much today and it's your birthday, and I couldn't just…just leave you alone." He had to smile to himself as he added. "Sorry I didn't get a chance to get you a present myself… The last few days really have been kind of a blur." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Just so I know, though, is there anything particular you wanted? I mean, it just wouldn't feel right not to get you something after everything we went through… And like I said, we are friends." He looked at her warmly.

Helga, meanwhile, was still just looking back at him with that surprised face and the blush creeping up into her cheeks. At the innocent and sincere question, though, Arnold noticed that she actually cracked a small smile: like something was striking her as just a bit funny. Her blush got a bit stronger too but that didn't stop the grin from growing.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Helga?"

Suddenly, she began laughing to herself a little. But it wasn't her usual cruel cackling, Arnold noticed… It was warm and happy and…nice. He couldn't help but notice how he kept getting stuck on that last word for the past few hours when he thought about her. '_Nice…_' Somehow it didn't quite fully describe this different side of Helga he was seeing, but for now at least it was as close as he could get.

Arnold blinked as he realized he was getting lost in his thoughts again, and then couldn't help but half smile at how amused she suddenly seemed, though he was still very confused as to the source of whatever was making her so happy. "What's so funny?" he asked Helga sincerely, an eyebrow raised.

Helga continued to chuckle warmly to herself for a few seconds more, but then finally managed to get herself a bit under control though the smile remained on her face. "I'm…I'm sorry, Arnold but…it's just…" She laughed once more. "All of this stuff happens with us and it's all obviously freaking you out a lot…and then you go and ask me…you ask me completely innocently if there's anything particular I want for my birthday! From YOU!" She started to laugh again, closing her eyes and shaking her head to herself.

Arnold just continued to look at her with an eyebrow raised, obviously still unsure about what she meant.

His continued cluelessness only served to make Helga laugh even harder for several more seconds. Finally, though, she took several deep breaths and managed to calm herself down, letting out one last content sigh. She shook her head. "Never mind, Football Head. Why don't we just say that for your sake it'd probably be best if we just skipped the present thing, okay?"

She winked and put an arm on his shoulder, and though he still had the eyebrow raised he couldn't help but half smile at how lifted her spirits seemed. '_Her smile's actually…well, it's really…nice…too…' _He couldn't help the interesting thought entering his head.

"And, hey, listen," Helga began, bringing him back to the situation at hand, "about needing time to 'think about things' or whatever—hey, be my guest!" The relieved enthusiasm in her voice was obvious. "Seriously, I am in_ no_ rush for another big, awkward, emotional scene between us." She faked a shudder. "So, please, take all the time in the world!"

Arnold had to laugh at her amusing delivery of her opinion on the situation between them. He nodded. "Okay, Helga. But when you want to talk about it, promise me you'll—"

"Yeah, yeah, that I'll 'come to you' and 'spill my guts' so you can 'make it all better' with your do-gooder ways and high moral standards…" She rolled her eyes, smirking at him. "You've been pounding that same old song and dance into the heads of me and all of our friends for almost seven years, bucko! I know the drill." She just smiled at his continuing half lidded gaze despite her teasing, finally laughing slightly to herself before yawning and recalling that the two of them did indeed have somewhere to be despite the decent, major-insult-free conversation she actually seemed to be keeping up with him right now, and that it wasn't getting any earlier. '_I don't know what's up with me but I'm on a roll right now with being nice to the little shrimp… Hmm, maybe I should skip a few nights sleep a little more often_…' She put the thought at the back of her mind to mull over later and then cleared her throat, folding her arms over her chest with a smile. "Okay, well then, Football Head, I guess we should get going to the ice cream parlor so my best friend doesn't think we've ditched her or anything." She shrugged. "Besides, you know me—I love free stuff, Arnoldo, and that's practically what a Birthday's all about, right?" She gave him a small nudge with one of her elbows and to her delight it actually made him laugh for a second. She continued speaking, hoping it would help distract her from the blushing she could already feel coming to her cheeks. "So, come on, Football Head—let's just give each other a free pass on whatever randomly happened back there," she rolled her eyes in the direction of the wall she'd had Arnold pressed against mere minutes ago, and then turned her gaze back to him to continue her sentence, "and go back to our normal lives as your average school bully and mild mannered wet blanket. Sound good?"

Arnold took a second to process what she'd said (and to where she'd just alluded with her quick eye movement back in the direction from which they'd just come). As everything finally sunk in, though, he blinked and then smiled at her hesitantly. "Uh…" he glanced away, putting his hands behind his back, "Something happened back there?"

Helga's smile left for a second and she looked at him with incomprehension…until he winked at her with a half grin, much like he'd done when he'd let her off the hook about her confession only a few hours ago.

Suddenly, she blinked and the smile returned to her face as she realized what he meant. She gave him a playful punch in the shoulder. "_Now_ you're catching on, head boy!"

He laughed and the sound made her laugh and finally the two of them resumed walking once more, the sign for Slausen's actually in their sights at this point.

A moment of silence passed in which the two children just continued walking side by side, smiling privately and contentedly to themselves. Finally, one of them took a breath to break the moment of quiet, and then spoke...

"Happy Birthday, Helga."

"Happy…does not even _begin_ to describe it, Arnold."

Arnold raised an eyebrow, glancing at Helga out of the corner of his eye… However, she was just walking and looking forward and smiling to herself as she had been this entire time. Still, even though she looked no different than she had a few seconds ago, Arnold couldn't help his smile growing slightly at the words she'd just said coupled with the fact that she actually still looked happy for once.

Another moment of quiet passed.

"Hey…Arnold?"

Her tone was very hesitant.

"…Yes, Helga?"

His tone was similar to hers, anticipating whatever her unusual tone might mean.

Helga cleared her throat, still just glancing down and forward, her happy smile replaced by a an obviously nervous one. She began. "_Hypothetically_…if there actually _was_ something that we should maybe talk about… Well…if you didn't even want to talk about it at all…_ever_…I couldn't blame you. You may not want me to do anything I don't want to do…but I'd never forgive myself if _I _ever made you do anything _you_ didn't want to do just because of how I…just because of who I…just because of me…Arnold" She still didn't look at him.

She did listen with all of her attention, though, for how he would respond to this quiet statement of hers.

Finally, she heard him take a breath and prepare to speak again.

"Well…_hypothetically_, of course, Helga…I think never talking about it would probably hurt you a lot…and I'd never want to do that to you." He took another breath. "And, anyway, I don't think I could pretend for the rest of our lives that nothing had…that you didn't…that you 'don't hate me.'" He swallowed. "And, also, like I said, I think I need some time to think about some things…because I'm not really sure how I feel about all of this… But I think once I figure it out a little more then I really will have to talk to you even if I don't want to or…or if I'm a little scared to…"

He didn't look at Helga as he awaited her reaction to his response.

She was silent for a few more paces and then took a deep breath in and then let it out. "Fair enough. I wish you'd quit being so confusing, Football Head, but…that's actually more than a fair reaction from you, in my opinion, so…you've got a deal."

Suddenly, she stopped and after a step or two Arnold noticed this fact and turned to face her with an eyebrow raised. He blinked as he noticed that she was just standing there blushing again…and with her arm extended.

He didn't react for another second or two, which caused Helga to just roll her eyes and smile once again. "Sheesh, Football Head, we just came to a compromise and I'm trying to shake your hand to seal the deal—Doi, it's a handshake not the kiss of death or something, Arnoldo!"

Arnold couldn't help blushing a bit at the last phrase she'd used, but tried his best to show no reaction to the joke other than a slight smile. Hesitantly, he looked at Helga again and then reached out and took her hand. She shook his hand firmly twice and then released it.

Helga just sighed and smiled when this little exchange was done, putting her hands on her hips. "Good. So, we're square then, for now." She jerked her thumb down the sidewalk in the direction they had been walking towards. "Want to race the last two hundred feet to the ice cream parlor, paste for brains?"

Arnold had to smile at the playful request and was almost about to agree to the simple familiar game to conclude things between them that day, when he suddenly remembered the party awaiting them inside the elementary school hangout in question. He took a step toward Helga. "Actually…" he began innocently, with one of his usual smiles, "Phoebe got you something pretty big and she couldn't wrap it… So, well…" He considered for a second and then suddenly, and to Helga's total confusion, undid the tie from around his neck and held it up to her. "She wanted me to blindfold you so you couldn't see what it was until you got inside."

Arnold, who had been hoping for another smile and an easy agreement from the girl before him to his proposed plan of action, was surprised when instead he was met with her giving him a serious (almost scowling) look, crossing her arms over her chest, and flatly replying, "Arnold, now I let you drag me out of bed to come here _and_ went through all those unbearably awkward conversations about feelings and secrets _and_ risked my neck for two days straight to help you _and_ then on top of it saved your life back at that manhole…" Her look became firmer. "But there is _**no**_ way I am letting you wrap that tie around my eyes and lead me blind into Slausen's just so I'll be more 'surprised' by Phoebe's present…"

As Helga finished her seemingly inalterable response, Arnold couldn't help but blink in surprise for a second… But then the smile returned to his lips and, to Helga's own slight surprise (as seen by how wide her eyes suddenly went…and how hard she suddenly became aware her heart was pounding) he leaned in quite a bit closer to her, just looking at her with his warm half lidded gaze…

* * *

**A/N:**

Okay, so the rest of this should be up by the end of the week! And yes, there's more cuteness and side conversations and awkward moments and for pete's sake we FINALLY make it to Slausens, lol! I hope you guys like it and that you liked this chapter and as always, please R&R!!!

Happy Reading!!!

~Azure129 aka Jenna

AXH FOREVER!!!!


	4. Private Party, Part 1

**A/N:**

Here you go, guys! Sorry it's a week late, but my spring break ended and I've been swamped with work (and also, once again, I've gotten carried away with a story that was supposed to be short and something for me to pump out in less than a week, originally, lol!). Please note that this is NOT THE LAST CHAPTER!!! It was all just getting too long so I'm splitting it up between two parts (and, of course, the epilogue, because every story needs a fun epilogue ;) ). Anyway, I'll try and get part two up either this weekend or next weekend so stay tuned!!!

Okay, enough of my yammering! Please enjoy and as always R&R :)

**A PERFECT TEN**

**Chapter 4:**

**Private Party, Part 1**

* * *

"I can't believe I let you wrap this stupid tie around my eyes and that you're now leading me blind into Slausen's just so I'll be more 'surprised' by Phoebe's present… You know, I lied, Arnold—I actually secretly _do_ hate you, and stuff like this is exhibit A as to why!" Despite her exclamations, Helga was obviously smiling as Arnold pulled her forward up the street…one of his hands grasping one of hers yet again.

"Oh, come on, Helga," he started with a smile, "It'll make Phoebe happy and besides, presents are always more fun when they're surprises, right?" He laughed as he continued to look ahead toward the ice cream parlor's doors. Unbeknownst to Helga, as he was talking with her he had also been giving a wink and a high-sign to Phoebe and Gerald, who were currently standing on the sidewalk outside of Slausen's. Phoebe smiled and gave a sign back to Arnold and then quickly pulled a still confused looking Gerald back inside with her so that they could get everyone ready for the big surprise…

Meanwhile, Helga just scoffed at Arnold's question to her, though the smile remained on her face. "Yeah, yeah…let's just get this over with so that I can get back to bed and to handling my personal life now that you and tall hair boy are done needing a babysitter."

Arnold just rolled his eyes and replied warmly, glancing back at her, "I don't know, Helga—I don't think you mind this 'surprise' or the whole FTi thing today nearly as much as you're saying…"

"Yeah, well…" he noticed Helga's smile grow a bit, "Maybe it hasn't been the WORST weekend in the world but like I said you and tall hair boy better leave me out of your stories about how you pulled all that stuff off… It took enough out of me explaining everything to YOU before and I'm not getting any younger here, Football Head…I know I'm only ten but I don't think my heart could take explaining it to a random assortment of our friends…"

Arnold felt himself blushing at the allusion to the confession, but at the same time he couldn't help but laugh. "Whatever you say, Helga."

"Exactly, whatever I say. You are going to make some woman very happy one day if you keep up that attitude, you know that Football Head?"

Arnold felt himself seriously blush at that statement. He swallowed hard, and glanced forward and down. And though his grin faltered slightly as well, it could not be denied that a small smile still remained on his face…

He heard Helga sigh and laugh to herself again. "Awkward silence, huh, paste for brains? Then I'm assuming that once again you and that ego of yours are getting carried away as usual, Football Head. Really, Arnold, you have got to quit acting like I'm suddenly throwing myself at you or something when I'm just trying a new tactic at getting on your nerves as usual." She laughed and Arnold saw her, as he glanced back, shaking her head. "Seriously, though, move it along already, head boy! There is no way it should take as long as it's taking for you to just head up a street!"

Arnold fully turned back to look at her at this comment, his blushing having subsided. He couldn't help but smile a little bit more at the mischievous grin on her face. And then to his surprise an interesting comeback came to his mind. And since they _were_ alone and she _was_ the one who had started it…well…

He cleared his throat and replied with just a touch of sarcasm, still watching her as they walked to observe her reaction, "I know, Helga. I'll try and go a little faster. I mean, we don't want the ice cream to be all gone…"

"Darn tootin'!" she threw in with a laugh.

Arnold had to laugh slightly at the interjection, but then just cleared his throat and continued, still grinning, "…And besides, I know there's no way you could be enjoying holding my hand for all of these last few minutes that we've got alone together, right…?" The second it was out of his mouth he couldn't help but feel incredibly nervous and just a little bit guilty, and yet Arnold couldn't control his curiosity to see how she would respond to such a blunt comment from him about everything that had happened between them.

For a second, Helga, still smiling, opened her mouth and seemed about to give one of her usual sarcastic responses. Before a sound came out, though, she paused and Arnold saw the smile waver. He also couldn't help but notice that, though she continued moving forward with him toward Slausen's, she suddenly tensed up to the point that Arnold felt more like he was pulling her along than just guiding her. In addition, she swallowed hard…and then to his continued interest a slight blush crept up into her cheeks.

Arnold couldn't help but smile at the sight of what a simple joke from him had done to her. "Helga?" he asked, trying as hard as possible to keep the amusement out of his voice, as she remained silent for another second or two.

At his address, Helga finally swallowed once more and then replied, trying to summon as much sarcasm as possible though it was obviously weak, "Uh, r-r-right…heh, heh. And…" she swallowed again and a bit more of the usual sarcasm returned to her voice, "And there you go with that ego again, Football Head, even suggesting something like that!" She scoffed and though Arnold couldn't see it because of her 'blindfold,' he was pretty sure she'd just rolled her eyes too. "I mean, what, Arnold—one girl acts for half a second like you're not the _biggest_ geek on the planet and like she can actually _maybe_ stand to have you around sometimes, and suddenly you think you're just so irresisti—"

"Shh!" Arnold announced with a smile (which had been growing more and more as she'd continued her amusing response), putting a finger to his lips. He stopped walking and Helga stopped as well. He took the opportunity, still holding her hand, to lean in closer to her and whisper, "We're here."

Helga blushed at how close his voice suddenly sounded to her and the slight bit of laughter behind what he'd just said...and once again, Arnold didn't fail to notice her reaction, though he did his best not to chuckle at it.

Meanwhile, it took Helga a second to catch her breath as she processed how close their faces must be yet again that day, but when she did she managed to whisper back to Arnold in a voice that was a mixture of sarcasm and giddiness at how strange her beloved was acting, "W-well…well then why the heck are you shushing ME, Football Head? Shouldn't you be telling the person trying to surprise me to be quiet, or did that bus crash scramble your brain? Which is a theory I'm seriously starting to subscribe to, by the way, Arnoldo!"

He just laughed and leaned in to whisper to her once more. "Sorry, Helga. I just thought that you might not like the rest of our class to overhear you saying 'Arnold' and 'irresistible' in the same sentence…" It took Arnold a second or two but suddenly he blinked as what he'd just said to her fully processed with him. '_Why do I keep feeling so comfortable bringing everything up with her?_' He couldn't help but feel a touch of guilt come over him. '_I mean, she obviously doesn't want to talk about it right now…she made that pretty clear. And I…I'd rather wait a little while myself…_' He'd been looking down pensively as he had these thoughts, but now he glanced back up and felt a small smile come to his face at the sight of Helga's blushing growing stronger. '_But, I guess…I guess it's just fun to suddenly see such a different side of her all because of me…_' He sighed mentally. '_But I know I have to stop: it's the right thing to do and I don't want her to be uncomfortable…_' And yet, despite knowing deep down that continuing to let Helga off the hook until she was ready to deal with things was the best course of action, Arnold also couldn't help but feel just a touch of regret replace his guilt for a second as he continued to observe her obviously slightly nervous face. '_I really am going to miss how things are right now, though…I thought she might keep acting nice for the rest of the day but the second we get inside and get around everyone again she'll probably just go back to hiding who she is again…'_

Meanwhile, at this (surprisingly) playful statement from Arnold about saying his name and the word 'irresistible' in the same sentence, Helga had swallowed and suddenly felt her heart pounding in her chest, causing a warmth to flow to her face…not just about what she'd almost just said aloud about her beloved or about how casually he had called her on it…but also due to the fact that, from the sound of Arnold's voice, he was even closer to her than before (she could even feel his breath on her face!)…and that he was still holding her hand… Helga could feel herself starting to get the urge to get lost in an internal monologue and shook her head to clear it, doing her best at the same time to come up with a response for him. "Oh, um…" she began to whisper back, taking his advice about keeping her voice down so that other people wouldn't be able to overhear them, "Right, right…good call, Arnold. Told you I'm still not exactly on the ball yet today…heh, heh…Not that there's anything to be on the ball ABOUT of course but, I—" She'd been about to go off into one of her usual 'disclaimers' as she'd been doing ever since Arnold had shown up at her house not too long ago to start this wacky mini-adventure that they were currently on, when suddenly something else her beloved had just said processed with her. "Wait a minute, what do you mean 'the rest of our class'…I thought we were meeting Phoebe and whoever the heck else might hanging around here at the moment…" Arnold could see part of her brow raise above the blindfold in curiosity and her voice took on a slightly firmer tone as she finished by asking, "Arnold, what's going on?"

Arnold just laughed to himself at another one of Helga's sudden mood changes, and pushed open the door to the ice cream parlor, pulling her inside without responding to her question.

The door closing behind him, Arnold pushed Helga a few feet forward and then quickly undid the blindfold, leaving a very unsure looking Helga standing inside of Slausen's. She blinked a few times at the bright lights suddenly meeting her eyes…and then at the unusual and totally unexpected sight in the ice cream parlor in general…

"SURPRISE!"

Helga's mouth was instantly totally agape at the sight before her: Phoebe, the rest of their friends, Arnold's family…and even her own family…suddenly smiling before her …and a large banner across the ceiling of Slausen's bearing the message 'Happy 10th birthday, Helga!'

Suddenly, Arnold came up behind her and leaned close to her again. "Surprised, Helga?" he asked, his voice sounding more than amused at the look on her face.

Helga just continued staring, not saying anything, not responding in anyway to Arnold's address…and then suddenly she felt herself begin to collapse backward in shock…

Luckily, though, she managed to fall into Arnold's arms, who caught her under her shoulders. "Whoa!" He did his best to right her. "Helga, are you okay?" he asked with a half smile.

She just blinked several times in response, still a bit dazed, but then realized that she was practically laying in Arnold's arms in public and quickly stood up. She turned to face him, still looking utterly confused. "Arnold, what—what _is_ all this?! What did you—when did you—how did you…?!"

He couldn't help but laugh. He put his arms behind his back and gestured with his head behind Helga. "Actually, it was…uh, mostly Phoebe's idea. And she set everything up. She just thought it would be a nice thing to do…you know, since everyone was going to be coming here anyway and since it _is_ such a special day." He smiled at her with his half lidded gaze.

At this information, Helga blinked and then turned around only to see her best friend suddenly approach her with a smile on her face. "Oh, Helga, do you like it? Were you really quite surprised? Gerald and I have been setting up for quite a while now, though your parents helped significantly once they arrived."

Helga had to blink again, and she suddenly looked up as Bob and Miriam came forward from the crowd.

Bob smiled at his daughter. "Yeah! Sheesh, Ol—uh, Helga—why did you tell us it was your birthday?"

Miriam reached forward put a hand on Helga's shoulder, smiling as well. "Yes, sweetie, you should have let us know…with all the stuff with your father's business and Sheck we almost forgot…"

"Yeah," Bob added, "We even got you a cake and everything!" He gestured to one of the occupied tables where Helga suddenly noticed a large, white, vanilla ice cream cake with pink candles on it.

Her eyes went wide at the sight and she just stared in amazement at it for a second. Then she finally looked back up at her parents…a smile growing upon her face. "You…really…you really helped with all of this." She was almost at a loss for words. "Thanks, Mom and Dad!"

They just smiled down at her. Miriam removed her hand from her daughter's shoulder. "You're welcome, Helga." She laughed to herself. "After all, it's not everyday you turn…uh…" A slight look of panic came into her eyes.

Suddenly, Phoebe stepped back and tugged at Miriam's skirt, clearing her throat and gesturing with her eyes behind them to the large birthday banner. Miriam turned around and smiled at the much-needed clue. She turned back to Helga. "Yes, it's not everyday you turn _ten_, Helga!"

Bob blinked. "Ten?! How the heck did has she hit ten already?!"

Helga just had to laugh to herself and shake her head. '_Hey, at least they're trying!' _She just smiled back up at them once more. "Hey, you know kids—they shoot up like weeds!" That actually got a laugh out of Miriam, much to Helga's surprise. She did her best to wrap up the mushy stuff, though, so that they could finally get to the party. "But, seriously…thanks, you two…" Helga quickly turned to Phoebe, still smiling. "And thanks to you too, Pheebs…" Phoebe smiled. "And, hey," Helga's eyes shifted to the person next to her, "I guess I even owe you a rare thank-you too, tall hair boy." She gave Gerald a sarcastic smile and did her best not to laugh at the blink of surprise he gave at her actually sincere acknowledgement of his efforts. Helga then took an overview of the room in general and of all of its smiling fourth grade occupants here to celebrate her birthday. "It…it's all great…really…"

Helga took a breath and then turned back to face Arnold, who was still positioned behind her. And, despite the fact that they were in public, she even managed to smile at him and say in a sincere voice, "And thanks to you too, Arnol—uh, Football Head…" She gave him a slight punch in the shoulder. "You know, for NOT spilling the beans or anything on the way here…even if Mr. goodie two shoes can't lie for squat at least you know how to keep a 'secret.' "

She winked at him upon saying the last word, causing Arnold's eyes to go wide for just a second and a slight blush to shoot to his face. Quickly, though, he glanced down, doing his best to hide the touch of red he could feel in his face, though a smile was still on his face as he replied simply and kindly to her thank-you, "You're welcome, Helga."

Helga just continued looking at him (_ 'And at how cute he is when he blushes! Sheesh, where's a camera when you really need one?!'_) warmly for a few more seconds until she felt a hand rest upon her shoulder. She blinked and turned around to see Phoebe looking at her with a touch of concern. "Um, Helga…" she said quietly and motioned with her eyes to the other kids around them who were currently all looking right in her and Arnold's direction.

Helga suddenly recalled that they were indeed in as public of a place as they could possibly be, and quickly cleared her throat and turned to address the crowd with a typical Helga. G. Pataki scowl. "Alright, alright…enough mushy stuff—yes, it's my birthday and thank you all for coming to my incredibly random surprise party! Now, come on—let's grab some spoons and head into the main storage freezer because we've got the run of this place and, more importantly, because the first party game is who can eat a gallon of their favorite flavor the fastest without getting a brain freeze! Five bucks says I can take any of you down!"

At this announcement, the fourth grade collectively cheered and suddenly kids were running all over the place, pulling containers of ice cream forward from behind the counter, racing into the back to find other flavors, and generally scrambling to locate eating utensils.

Helga smiled at her successful diversion from the slight moment her and Arnold had just shared. "Yup, I've still got it!" she couldn't help but say to herself with a touch of pride.

Helga wasn't exactly used to people overhearing small things she said to herself, so she was quite surprised to hear Arnold suddenly laugh and come up alongside her. "Well, no one's looking at us anymore, so I guess you still do."

Helga just rolled her eyes and turned to face him with a smile. "Okay, okay, window of truth between us is closed for the day, Football Head. Now come on…" she hesitated for a second, mentally recalling the number of people around. But then Helga also recalled that not only were all of their friends currently distracted, but that it _was_ indeed her birthday and she _had_ indeed just successfully helped her beloved save their neighborhood... So wasn't she entitled to just one more act of boldness that day?

And then, to Arnold's total surprise (and yet somehow, happiness, he had to admit, since it meant that despite the other kids it seemed like she might be willing to keep being, well…nice to him just a little bit longer) she grabbed his hand in her own, and looked at him with a smile. "Didn't I just announce an ice cream eating contest, Football Head? Let's get some spoons and a gallon each before they're all gone…" She glanced up. "I mean, not that I want you _anywhere_ near me or anything, but I _am_ currently talking to the winner of last year's citywide Eating Contest so I figure you're my only real competition, and you know me, Arnoldo…" She looked at him again. "I do love a good challenge!" She winked at her beloved as she added this last sentence..

Arnold smiled at her, happy that she still did indeed seem to be in such a good mood, and that her surprise had turned out so well. "Well, I'm a little out of practice, you know, Helga…" he began modestly.

Helga just shrugged, and even laughed to herself a bit. "Well, Arnold, I'd make some kind of joke about you're mouth being far from out of practice after today but, like I said, window of truth is currently closed for business so why don't we just enjoy ourselves for now and worry about the 'epic emotional situations' we both promised to deal with later, okay?"

Arnold felt himself blush significantly at her words as she suddenly turned and began to pull him towards the ice cream parlor counter and their friends. But, as they progressed forward, he recalled how much teasing they'd both done to each other that day, and how he'd been kind of asking for it with some of things he'd said to her outside of the ice cream parlor, and how even though they'd both agreed to pretend like nothing had happened for awhile that didn't mean things would be able to suddenly go perfectly back to normal…and maybe that wasn't such a bad thing… So, rather than freezing up and giving Helga the satisfaction of allowing the embarrassment to get to him again, Arnold just followed behind her without resistance as she led him across the room to the freezer. "Whatever you say, Helga…" he managed to get out in a quiet voice with a smile.

He just heard her laugh at his words as they finally reached the door leading to the back room of the ice cream parlor. Putting her hand upon the door and pushing it half way open, she paused for a moment in their journey and then replied quietly under her breath with a smile, her head half turned in her beloved's direction, "And you wonder why I don't hate you, Arnold…"

Arnold just looked at her with a curious smile as she pulled them both into the dim room in search of ice cream…

* * *

"Okay, okay, now Huynh and Ernie are already in the car and Suzie, you're gonna take Oskar to the doctor about his tummy ache…" Grandpa had to roll his eyes.

Suzie Kokoschka nodded to the old man addressing her before turning back to her husband who gave a sick moan and squeezed the hand of his she was holding a little harder. "That's right, Grandpa…" she said in a concerned voice. "Come on, Oskar, I already called us a taxi…"

"Oh, Suzie…" he began as she helped him stand up from the puddle of chocolate ice cream in which he was currently sitting, "you see, I told you we should have brought a cooler to take some of the ice cream home with us later. You made it so I had to eat everything I could _now_, and now my stomach hurts…" He moaned dramatically again.

Suzie just rolled her eyes as she led him out of the doors of Slausen's. "Oh, Oskar!"

Phil couldn't help but smile and shake his head at the departing couple. Quickly, though, he recalled his former task of making sure everyone whom he needed to drive back to the boarding house was present and accounted for. He turned back to the interior of the ice cream parlor, scratching his head as he thought. "Now, let's see…" he went through the list of Boarders in his head and then the other inhabitants of the Sunset Arms. Suddenly he blinked. "Oh yes, of course, young Arnold!" He glanced around at the many satisfied, ice-cream-stained, ten-year-old faces still filling Slausen's, though their enthusiasm for free ice cream and birthday cake had dwindled a bit after an hour straight of pigging out. Phil couldn't help but scratch his head and raise an eyebrow, though, at not finding Arnold among them. "Hmm…"

He looked around a bit more and then suddenly his eyes fell upon a familiar face, currently reclining back in a booth with a contented smile on her vanilla-covered face, and a half-eaten cake before her.

Phil cleared his throat and, with a smile, addressed her. "Eh, excuse me…Helga, right?"

At the sound of her name (and the fact that it was coming from her beloved's grandfather) Helga blinked a couple of times from the brief rest she had been taking to forestall the ice cream coma and looked up at Phil, half smiling. "Uh, yeah, that's right. And you're uh…" she put on a bit of a show about trying to remember just who Phil was related to… Then she snapped her fingers and smiled at him. "You're Arnold's Grandpa, right?"

Phil laughed and smiled just a bit more at her. "Yes, that's right… And, speaking of Shortman, I know it's your birthday but I was just wondering if you could give me a little help with something?"

Helga raised an eyebrow at him, sitting up completely now. "Uh…sure. What can I do you for?"

Phil did his best to keep his wry grin under control. "Well, I was just looking for young Arnold to see if he wanted a ride home now that it looks like the party's breaking up, or if he had any plans for the rest of the day and just wanted to walk back later. But, I can't seem to locate him…" Despite his efforts to keep it under control, his smile grew just a bit more. "The last time I saw him, though, I believe was when you were pulling him into the back there in the direction of the freezer…"

Phil had to pause to stifle a laugh not only at the suggestive point he'd just made but also at the fact that Helga was obviously blushing at said point, her eyes wide. Phil cleared his throat and continued. "Anyway, I was just wondering if you knew where he was…uh…Helga?"

Helga swallowed, feeling her heart begin to pound and a warmth come to her face at the slightly suggestive statement Arnold's Grandpa had just made (like he knew something about her and Arnold that he really REALLY wasn't supposed to know) and also at the memory of Phil driving by her and Arnold not too long ago nearly in the middle of what might have looked, to someone who had really taken the time to notice, like the awkward kiss it had almost been. She glanced away and did her best to keep her voice from sounding too flustered. "Uh…I'm, uh, I'm not sure…I mean, I-I lost track of old Football Head after the ice cream contest but I'll, uh, I'll go look for him, Arnold's Grandpa…He, uh, he might still be in the back!" She smiled and laughed quite nervously and then quickly slid out of the booth, and dashed across the room, behind the counter and through a swinging door leading to the freezer and storage area of Slausen's.

"Heh, heh, heh!" Phil laughed to himself as he watched her go, "I'm such a wily old coot!"

* * *

Helga felt the door to the back of the ice cream parlor close behind her and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. "Sheesh, what, did Arnold paint a sign on my back that I love him while I was cutting the cake or something?" The cold air of the drafty room suddenly hit her and she felt herself shiver. She glanced around. "Arnold's Grandpa's right, though…where _is_ that little shrimp, anyway?"

Helga took a few steps into the room and looked around: nothing but standard cardboard boxes and the door to the freezer in the far corner. "Paste for brains said he was just going to come back here and get more napkins but that was half an hour ago…" Helga couldn't help but feel a touch of worry leap into her stomach. '_Oh Arnold, what if all of the stuff I've put you through over the last few days really has made you ill somehow? What if you tried to lift one of these boxes and passed out? Or what if our ice cream eating contest made you sick and you had to run out and find medical attention? Oh my football headed little love god—I won't rest until I see you well!'_

As Helga had been walking around having this little internal monologue, a thin beam of vertical light suddenly caught her eye. She blinked and then noticed, upon fully turning in its direction and taking a few steps forward, that it was coming from behind a door she hadn't noticed before that was slightly open with a light on inside of wherever it lead to. She raised an eyebrow and paused a few feet from the door, squinting to read the sign upon it in the dimness. "Hmm…employee lounge…?"

She considered for a second and then shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, worth a shot?"

She took a final step forward and pushed the door open hesitantly, unsure whether or not on the other side she would find her beloved or a couple of employees ready to kick her out for sneaking back here.

She blinked a few times at the light suddenly meeting her eyes… But when she could finally look around properly she suddenly felt a warmth well up inside of her and a smile come to her face at what she saw.

There was Arnold…practically curled up into a ball on an old couch, chocolate staining his mouth from the nearly full gallon of chocolate ripple he'd consumed not too long ago, half a box of napkins on the floor near him…and sound asleep with a smile on his face.

Helga couldn't help the slight girlish sigh that escaped from her. (Hey, he _was_ asleep and no one else _was_ around…and, once again, it WAS her Birthday, after all.)

She took a few steps toward him, torn between wanting to let her little angel finally have the rest he deserved and to just remain there watching him resting so peacefully, and the fact that his grandfather was waiting for him outside and that someone among their half-passed out classmates was bound to notice at some point that both Arnold and Helga were missing and to question this strange phenomenon.

Helga finally sighed to herself and smiled, deciding to split the difference. "I guess I'll just tell Gramps he's back here taking a cat nap and he can decide whether we should let him sleep for a little while or if he wants to try carrying him to the car."

She was about to turn and leave when the sound of Arnold letting out a deeply satisfied sigh made her turn and linger on his sleeping form once more.

And then it really did hit Helga that he _was_ asleep…and that they _were_ alone…and that it _WAS_ her birthday, after all…on top of which, well, from those last few awkward minutes together before he'd blindfolded her and brought her to her party, it seemed pretty obvious that even if getting a little closer to her wasn't his fondest wish it at least wasn't the worst thing he could imagine doing…

Helga felt herself take a step forward but then hesitated. "This is ridiculous," she whispered with just a touch of panic to herself, "I _can't_…I mean…I already got _one_ from the little shrimp already today…that's more than I could ever ask for…" She hesitated once more but then felt herself take another step forward, a very slight smile coming to her face. "Still…he does look awfully cute like that…and it's not like anyone would ever find out, especially him…and he did say before that he wanted to get me something nice for my birthday…and it would only take a second…"

She took one more step forward, making it so she was now standing over his slightly smiling face, just looking down at him. She swallowed and quickly glanced away, though, feeling a touch of doubt return again. "But what if he wakes up…he'd hate me… We finally get a truce going and he helps Phoebe throw me a party, and then I go all crazy-psycho-wannabe-girlfriend on him again. Yeah, Helga, THAT'S the way to keep on speaking terms with him…"

Still, Helga felt her heart shift once more in favor of what she was actually thinking about going through with right now. She glanced down at Arnold (not failing to take particular notice of his soft, unassuming, ice-cream-covered lips) once more…and a touch of sadness suddenly came to her eyes. "Then again…I mean, let's face it…this might be the last chance I have for something like this… After all, I've kind of lost the element of surprise—he's going to see it coming if I ever try to spontaneously plant on one him again… And if I do stumble across another chance to 'acting' kiss him he'll know why I want to do it and probably get out of it…And when we do finally talk about things…" Helga shuddered as she considered how horribly awkward and disappointing THAT little conversation would probably be. "Well, that'll be the final nail in the coffin and even though I'm sure he'll still want to be my friend, anything else will officially be dead in the water." She did her best to smile and felt herself lean down slightly. "Maybe this could be like a little goodbye kiss or something…"

She got very close to him and whispered under her breath, "I'm sorry for all I've put you through over the years, my beloved…but I'm happier than I've ever been that I could give you your dream and help you save our neighborhood…and happy for the wonderful birthday you've helped give me…I love you, my Arnold…" She leaned down the rest of the way and as gently as possible pressed her vanilla stained lips to Arnold's chocolate stained ones for a moment that felt like forever…

Eventually, she pulled away with a sigh that was a mixture of sadness and satisfaction. She smiled at an interesting flavor she suddenly realized was upon her lips. "Mmm...chocolate..."

She flew back against the floor with her eyes wide with fright, though, at the next thing that occurred in that room...

Her lips had just left his…leaving just a faint lip imprint of vanilla behind them upon his mouth…and as the kiss had ended Arnold, in his sleep, had laughed just slightly and said in a light yet obviously happy voice, "Helga…"

Helga would have double-checked to make sure that her heart had indeed stopped but she was too frozen in shock and confusion to do so.

The fact that he continued saying her name with a smile didn't help ease her sudden paralysis either...

"Arnold, hey man, you back here? Looks like the party's winding down Phil's getting ready to pull out and head back to the boarding house…"

Though still lacking the capacity to move, Helga's eyes did manage to open even wider in shock at the sound of Gerald Johanssen's voice obviously entering the back area of the ice cream parlor. She remained upon the floor for several seconds, breathing heavily…and then her breathing stopped entirely as she recalled the still slightly ajar door of the employee lounge her and Arnold were currently in…and the memory she had of how it hadn't taken her more than a few seconds upon coming back there to find Arnold to check this room…and Gerald's footsteps were already sounding closer and closer…

"Helga…" Arnold suddenly whispered once more under his breath with a smile, causing Helga to jump a bit and to suddenly refocus her gaze back upon his still sleeping form…

"Hey, man, you in the freezer getting more ice cream?" Gerald's voice again. And he obviously wasn't going away without Arnold.

Meanwhile, Helga wasn't getting any farther away from having a genuine panic attack as she suddenly realized that not only was Gerald actually going to walk in here any second, but that (turning her attention fully to the sleeping form of her beloved again) she'd left a perfect print of vanilla on the lips of his otherwise chocolate stained mouth…and that (glancing from side to side in the small room) there was no water and (and no time, regardless) to wash the sticky evidence of her kiss away from either one of their faces. Her eyes fell to the box of napkins but she quickly let the idea drop. '_Yeah, that wouldn't be the creepiest experience in the world for him--waking up to me trying to desperately wipe his mouth off with dry napkins, and then when he asks me why I'm doing it I could just fill him in on the fact that he has an ice cream lip print from me on his mouth from a kiss he doesn't know I gave him that I don't want his best friend or anyone else to find out about ever_!' She smacked an open palm to her forehead and scowled at herself. "Crimeny, how do I get myself into these situations?!"

"Arnold! Come on, man, I'm starting to worry a little—I was asking around and no one's seen you in a while…"

Gerald's voice again and he was definitely closer this. And Helga did her best put the self-criticism aside for now and to go into mission mode.

She swallowed hard. '_Okay, can't fix the ice cream evidence but, heck, everyone's been pigging out on everything they've been able to get their hands on and it's just a smudge of vanilla ice cream really and, anyway, can't fix it now. But if tall hair boy walks in here to see his best friend smiling and saying my name and me hovering over him, and then the lip print on top of it all then…_' She swallowed hard and instantly shook her head, whispering in panic to herself, "Oh, I can't even want to think about it!"

Helga inhaled sharply at the sound of Gerald's footsteps coming closer and closer. With one final lingering look at her peacefully sleeping beloved (and secretly feeling, despite the dangerous situation they were in, an incredible giddiness that it seemed that, if nothing else, her confession had left Arnold with a subconscious association between herself and kissing), Helga raced over to his side and grabbed his shoulders. "Arnold!" she whispered as loudly as she dared, PRAYING Gerald wasn't close enough to hear…

* * *

"Pretty crazy day…huh?"

"Mmm hmm…"

Well, that was strange.

Arnold couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Helga. He didn't know why but he'd expected a response to his observation slightly different than the one she'd just given. She had indeed agreed with him like he'd expected ('_Why am I 'expecting' things, anyway?_' he couldn't help but wonder at the back of his mind, still looking at Helga curiously) but there was nothing startled or nervous about her expression…or the tone in which she'd just acknowledged his comment about the day.

Instead, she was smiling and looking at him with her eyes half closed, and she had her hands behind her back and she was leaning a bit close to him and—

"We…said some pretty nutty things back there…"

Arnold felt something twist inside of him. There it was again—the expected response ('_This is really weird—it's like I'm having a bad case of déjà vous_') but not said at all like he'd expected it to be said…She hadn't been at all nervous or flustered but instead had lowered her voice to just above a whisper and actually taken a step toward him, looking into his eyes and finishing the phrase with a small giggle.

"And we _did_ some pretty nutty things too…didn't we, Arnold…?" she suddenly added with a wink, taking him out of his thoughts.

Arnold felt his heart start pounding at this little addition to her response. And then his eyes went wide both as he noticed how close she had managed to move toward him…and at the memory that suddenly flashed into his mind of the last time he'd seen her look like that and get close to him…a memory from mere minutes ago, actually…

Arnold instantly began to back up in panic but Helga just continued to calmly step closer and closer toward him. Arnold blinked as he suddenly hit a wall, and then glanced behind him in fear at the large brick entity blocking his retreat and then back in confusion at Helga who was currently standing right in front of him, that smile still on her face, still leaning closer to him…

"Listen…_Arnold_…" She giggled again and Arnold felt the color drain from his face. "All that stuff I said…and did…" She added the last two words in a whisper but then resumed her former low voice. "Well…you have to admit it was a little crazy back there and in all of the excitement, well, we…" she glanced down and to the side coyly, still smiling.

Arnold swallowed and felt the words come automatically out of his mouth. "We just got…uh, carried away? Right, Helga?"

That observation made her blink and for a second, even though the scowling blustery girl he knew so well wasn't back, at least she didn't have that pleased, cunning look on her face…In fact, Helga's eyes actually went wide for a second and she just looked at him with a touch of confusion much to Arnold's relief…but then his hope that she was back to normal faded as a half smile came to her face accompanied by that look again and of course another giggle. "Oh, well…I _guess_ that's true, Arnold, but…" She lowered her voice to a whisper again, and before Arnold could react or move away she leaned across him and whispered delicately into his ear, "It seemed to me like the more important thing was that in all of the excitement…we didn't get to _finish_…"

Arnold's eyes shot open wide but before he could retreat in panic like the last time he'd felt so utterly terrified and confused around Helga Pataki, she suddenly pulled away and then raised her arms and pressed her hands against his shoulders, trapping him against the wall.

Arnold's jaw fell open. "You meant all that stuff. I'm right, aren't I?" he asked in an obviously panicked, ever increasing in pitch voice.

She just kept smiling at him, raising her brow slightly.

"You really don't hate me…" Still total panic as he tried to sort things out.

Helga, meanwhile, just shook her head slightly, still smiling at him.

"You…you…" He felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Come on, Arnold. You can do it…" she encouraged.

"Helga, you actually…lo-lo-lo—" He had to put a hand to his head. He felt that strange queasy feeling come over him again just like back on the FTi building.

"Love you?" she suggested, giggling once more. "Oh boy, do I, Arnold…" She winked.

"_Oh boy_…" came Arnold's shaky voice and suddenly he felt himself sliding down the wall to the sidewalk below. "I _really_ need to lie down…" Luckily, he was caught and propped up again by Helga's arms, though the fact that, on top of everything else, she was now touching him did little to ease him considering the situation.

While Arnold was having his little internal crisis, Helga just did her best to get him standing again. "Hey, hey…if you're going to go all 'I need to lie down' on me again at least go look for a better place than the middle of the street to collapse…" Another giggle and she leaned closer again. "Come on, 'I'll go with you.' She had righted him completely by the time this last little ironic phrase left her mouth.

Arnold was in the middle of dusting himself off a bit and trying desperately to think of a way to handle this situation when Helga's last statement fully hit him. He instantly blushed a bright red and just stared straight forward in utter confusion and panic, too nervous to look to Helga again.

"But, maybe we can save that for later…" he heard her begin, and that cunning yet airy tone in her voice told him that he was in trouble… "Right _now_, though…where were we…?" She asked the question feigning sincerity, and then paused for a second as though really trying to recall what they had been talking about just moments ago. And then, suddenly, he heard her snap her fingers as though she had just genuinely recalled the answer to her question. "Ah! Oh yes…not having enough time to finish…"

And before he knew what had hit him she had pulled him forward, wrapping her arms around his body and head. She held Arnold close, gazing dreamily into his eyes and he could feel his heart pounding more and more from the proximity.

"Oh, ARNOLD! Of course I love you, you adorable Football Head, and I'm going to finish making sure you never forget it. EVER!"

Arnold watched as her face suddenly came closer to his and he closed his eyes tight, anticipating the kiss he knew was inevitable…And yet, though fear and confusion and panic were coursing through him like lightening while he awaited the feeling of Helga Pataki's lips upon his own…he couldn't help but wonder if maybe…somehow…she was right. At least now they _would_ get to finish…and maybe this secret that she'd blurted out not too long ago could finally be complete with a full explanation. He just wished his heart would stop pounding so loudly and that the queasy feeling in his stomach would go away and the ringing in his ears would stop…If he was going to try and figure out Helga Pataki a little better from this kiss he knew he needed to be able to focus, especially since last time he'd been so surprised by her confession that the best he could recall from that kiss was how warm she had been against him…just like she was right no—

Her lips met his firmly, crushing his own with their warmth and softness. Arnold kept his eyes closed tight as he felt her continuing to press against him, and then felt her left hand reach up and start to caress his hair while her right hand and arm wrapped around his back.

Arnold felt his heart beating like mad at her kiss! They had always just been friends—speaking occasionally throughout their entire lives and mostly as part of some kind of fight or argument…playing the occasional baseball together…maybe even being partners for a school project…but that was all! It had all been so normal and so predictable and so simple… But then to suddenly be pulled into this entirely different perspective on their relationship…and all of this…this _contact_! This strange, ecstatic, crazy contact, and with Helga G. Pataki of all people! All because she loved him…SHE loved HIM! And no matter what she ever said or did or acted like in the future, Arnold knew for certain that she was right and that between her kiss before and her kiss now he would never be able to forget that somewhere underneath any more of the bullying or fighting or sarcasm she might come up with in the future, all she wanted was to kiss him like she was doing right now…

He felt her lips pull away just enough for her to whisper to him with a slight laugh, "You feel so tense, Football Head. Stressful day?" She laughed to herself and then resumed kissing him.

Arnold kept his eyes closed tight at the feeling of her embrace only continuing, only growing in intensity. "Helga…" He managed to separate his lips just enough from hers to get out her name. He managed to shift one of his arms forward and rest a hand on her shoulder, at first with the idea of trying to separate them, though quickly just to keep his balance as he resigned himself to the fact that Helga was far too strong and far too into what she was doing to be removed just by a small push from his hand.

He felt her hand going through his hair slide down to his neck and then wrap around the top part of his back, pulling certain parts of his head into even more contact with certain parts of Helga's.

"Helga!" Arnold, his eyes still closed though not in that cringing way as before, managed to pull away from her again just slightly for an instant at the feeling of her shifts. Still, he couldn't help but feel a small smile trying to form at the corners of his mouth at the fact that she was actually doing this…Always yelling at him and trying to pretend like she didn't care about anyone or anything in the world and then suddenly doing something as passionate as this… '_At least she's getting a chance to be herself now…_' he couldn't help but think as her mouth continued to do its best to consume his own. He felt a touch of shock come over him, though, at the casual almost happy thought. '_What am I saying?!?! She—this is—we need to—I can't…'_

He did his best to get his mouth away from hers again for a second, his eyes flying open for a brief second in panic. "Helga, we—"

His words were interrupted by another of Helga's giggles and the feeling of her quickly filling in the gap between their mouths once more. This time, however, she moved forward with even more enthusiasm if that was possible, actually causing Arnold to almost stumble backward. He managed to stay on his feet and regain his balance, though… Of course, this task was only accomplished by wrapping his remaining free arm around Helga's back in the process. Suddenly, he heard a slight moan come from the back of her throat and then she took a breath through her nose and broke away from him just slightly. Her voice was a whisper, though that was all that was necessary for him to hear her as her face was still quite close against his own. "You know, if you keep saying my name it's only going to make it even harder for me to stop, Arnold… That's what you were doing in my dream, you know…that's why I was saying your name before I woke up…I was saying it back to you…" She moved her mouth near his ear and whispered in an even lower tone, "…Saying it back to you while you were holding me in your arms just like you're doing now… Maybe dream Arnold and you have a lot more in common than I thought… Why don't we keep going and see, hmm?" She giggled once more and, before Arnold could respond, she was suddenly kissing him again, effectively occupying his mouth once more.

Meanwhile, between the continuation of the kissing and the information she'd just revealed to him AND the accusation she'd just made about his feelings about her, Arnold felt his heart beat wildly and his eyes fly open even wider. Suddenly, he became truly aware of his one arm still on her shoulder and his other arm around her body. '_But…but I just wanted to see if I could get her to stop for a second to see if we could talk about this…and then I had to balance myself when she pushed me back. It's not like I…like I'm trying to--_' He heard Helga moan once more and run her fingers through his hair again, and the sound coupled with the feeling sent a strange twist through his stomach and almost made him…smile. '_But…if…if it makes her happy….well…then maybe I_…' And then, as he took a second to realize the direction his thoughts had started taking yet again, his mental voice of panic came back. '_WHAT AM I SAYING?!?! I-I need to stop this right now before something happens or someone sees us! I can't be worrying about letting her dream come true right now!_' And then a strange thought occurred to Arnold and a strange sense of déjà vous came over him. '_But wait a minute…her dream in her room? But…but didn't that happen after this…but, no, this is now, so…_'

The feeling of the fingertips of one of Helga Pataki's hands suddenly delicately tracing up and around the side of his arm instantly shut down his thoughts on the subject…and sent a very strange feeling through him as well, Arnold couldn't help but notice…an even more powerful feeling than when she'd moaned and touched his hair before, actually. "Helga…Helga…!" he managed to get out, actually feeling almost tickled by the sensation on top of everything going on inside of him, before her voracious kissing consumed him once again. The only response she seemed willing to give to his calls, though, was that he could feel her mouth starting to smile (much as his had started doing before) as she continued giving him his second real kiss ever. He considered trying to resist her again but what was the point? Helga obviously wanted to get this out of her system and if it ended up with them getting closer to figuring things out between them then what could he do? '_Where did she learn how to do this, anyway…?_' Arnold couldn't help the thought entering his head as her finger coming from his arm traced up slowly to the top of his shoulder and then across his collar bone…and then up his neck to the side of his head. And he became aware that, to his surprise and interest, the result of the sensation of her touch doing all of these things was his already pounding heart fluttering just slightly. "Helga!" He couldn't help his tone sounding amused and almost playful rather than indignant like he probably should have been trying to make it sound, considering the circumstances…but, in his defense, it was such a strange and amusing feeling to be touched like that...and by her of all people…

At the sound of his last exclamation of her name, Arnold just heard Helga laugh once or twice herself at the back of her throat, and couldn't help closing his eyes again as she kept doing every time their lips had managed to meet again and again over the last several minutes. And in a way, he had to admit, staying in the dark made the whole experience a lot more… '_Fun…I…Do I think this is 'fun'?_' The thought suddenly entered his mind as he did his best to take even breaths out of his nose to keep from suffocating under her kiss. 'Letting her kiss me and touch me and…'

Suddenly, Arnold felt one of her hands slide down his side and he instantly had to let out a deep sigh through his nose, his smile growing. "Helga! Helga…" He tried to put as much indignation into his voice as possible though he knew the amusement outweighed it by a landslide as he pulled away slightly once more. And once again she just laughed and tightened her grip on him, pulling him back into the kiss. Arnold just sighed to himself mentally. '_Oh well…I'm sure she'll get tired of this eventually…_' he just thought to himself with a laugh…And then he remembered the chain of thought he'd been on before that feeling of her hand moving down his side had distracted him a bit, and he realized that he had to admit to himself that, at the very least, if not 'fun,' this kiss was definitely getting a bit more interesting than the first one that day had been…and there really was nothing to interrupt them this time… And maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. '_At least maybe after this she'll tell me the whole truth instead of just the bits and pieces we had time for back on the FTi roof…I think...I think there's a lot of things about her I need to know…_'

Then suddenly, to Arnold's surprise (and he'd been pretty sure that nothing else could surprise him after some of the stuff that had happened between himself and Helga that morning) it seemed like there was a certain, strangely new…almost…sweet quality to Helga's lips…something sugary and yet balanced by the calming flavor of…vanilla?

"Helga…" he couldn't help but whisper lightly under his breath, moving his lips back from hers just slightly for a second, as the thought of the flavor entered his mind.

"Arnold…Arnold…" he heard her say delicately between fresh, small kisses.

"Helga…" He had to laugh at the feeling.

"ARNOLD!"

* * *

"WAKE UP, FOR PETE'S SAKE!!!" Arnold suddenly heard a very familiar voice whisper right near his face, though the panicked and harsh tone was new.

He felt his eyes squint and then he blinked a few times. An unfamiliar and unexpected light suddenly hit his eyes and he closed them once more for just a second.

"Oh no you don't! You're up now and you are NOT going back to sleep!" A pair of hands on his shoulders instantly pushed him into a sitting up position and his eyes went open fully at the sudden realization that in order to feel like he was being sat up by someone he must have been laying down before.

A relieved sigh met his ears. "FINALLY!" came the familiar voice in a happy whisper and the warm hands left his shoulders and then a weight plopped down next to him.

'_Wait a minute…I was just…but weren't we_…' He blinked a few more times, bringing a hand to his head, and then glanced from side to side for a second at his strange surroundings. '_And why am I_…' his eyes met a cardboard box half full of napkins with the name Slausen's printed on the side.

That sight took him a second or two to process.

When it did, though…along with the memories associated with it and where it meant he was and what it reminded him he was doing there, and what it made him realize must have been going on…_oh boy_…

Arnold flew up, his heart pounding and his eyes going wide and quickly falling right upon the form of a very relieved looking Helga Pataki (her face stained with vanilla…except for a distinct smudge of chocolate at her lips, he couldn't help but note subconsciously). "HELGA!!!"

At the sound of his shocked exclamation of her name, Helga couldn't help but practically jump in the air, thus resulting in her falling off of the old couch and into half empty box of napkins Arnold had come back there to get quite a while ago.

Arnold felt himself torn between his innate compulsion to help her up and his sudden desire, much like he'd had in her room before upon catching her dreaming about him, to run away and lock himself in his room and avoid at all costs Helga G. Pataki and the feelings she kept suddenly making him have…especially now that he'd fully realized that he had just been dreaming about her…about KISSING her…and about LIKING it!!! Liking it enough to let her keep going and to smile and to keep his arms around her and to laugh right along with her and—

He shook his head, trying to rid himself of these unbelievable thoughts…just as the door suddenly opened, revealing his best friend with a raised eyebrow.

"Arnold?"

Arnold, his breaths coming a bit more heavily than normal considering the amount of residual shock his system was still in, instantly turned his attention away from Helga and toward the arrival of his best friend in the room. "Gerald?" He did his best to bring some casualness to his tone, though it was weak as Gerald's continued raised eyebrow attested to.

Gerald continued to eye his best friend for a second and then, seeing some movement out of the corner of his eye, turned his sights onto Helga who was currently doing her best to remove herself from the large box into which she'd fallen and resume standing (pulling paper napkins off of her clothes the whole time).

Gerald's gaze moved away from the strange sight back to Arnold. "Uh…are you two…okay back here?" He asked with genuine curiosity, taking a couple of steps into the room and half closing the door behind himself.

Arnold blinked and did his best not to betray the total panic coursing through him. How could he even begin to describe the situation without totally humiliating himself and completely blowing Helga's secret in the process?

Salvation came in the form of a familiar frustrated sigh that suddenly met his ears followed by the typical, well known, sarcastic tone of Helga G. Pataki. "No, of course we're not 'okay back here', hair boy! Yeesh, I can't stand Football Head over there," she jerked a thumb in Arnold's direction, "and then I come back here to get the napkins that old paste for brains kept threatening to bring up front but never did, only to find him asleep on the job! I mean, doi, it's my _birthday_—the least he could do is not take a catnap in the middle of the party! Not to mention his Grandpa's been harassing me to find the little shrimp so he can get brought home and tucked in like the three year old he is!" She had her arms crossed over her chest at this point in her rant, and shook her head to remove a napkin or two she could feel still clinging to her hair. "Anyway, I just try to get the box away from him innocently enough," she stretched her arms out in front of her, "And all of a sudden he spazzes, scaring the heck out of me, and I end up practically on the ground!" She suddenly turned her sights on a very stunned looking Arnold, glaring at him. She took a few steps toward him and thrust a finger in his face, causing him to lean back slightly. "You're just lucky that I'm feeling in a generous mood since it's my birthday, Football Head. Otherwise, the only thing you'd be using ice cream for for the next week would be to make the swelling go down from the pounding I'd give you!"

Arnold blinked and even though he wasn't sure what Helga was talking about, he felt like just going along with it and apologizing (like he would have tried to do in a situation like the one she'd just describe) was probably the best course of action. "Sorry, Helga…" he managed in an obviously still shaky voice.

"Hmph!" She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from him, closing her eyes. "You _should_ be!"

And with that familiar retort, Helga was about to stomp out of the room, secretly thrilling inside that she had not only managed to pull of a perfectly plausible excuse for the sight Gerald had come upon, but that Arnold had been coherent and non-dense enough to actually go along with it.

"Okay, now, hold on a minute, Helga!"

She was stopped midway out the door, though, by the sound of Gerald's suspicious sounding tone addressing her (she was happy she was facing away from him when he'd decided to call her back, because for just a second her tough girl façade had broken and her eyes had gone wide, and she'd felt the color drain from her face).

Helga swallowed, did her best to resume her former scowl and tone, and then turned back around, hands on her hips. "What?" she asked acidly. Out of the corner of her eye, though, she couldn't help that Arnold, behind Gerald, had a look on her face much like the one that had quickly flashed over her own just a second ago.

Gerald, scowling slightly, put a hand on his hip. "Now, listen, Helga, I know you can't stand Arnold just like you can't stand basically everyone but he _did_ just save the neighborhood and then manage to come up with this party thing for you with Phoebe so maybe you could cut him a break for just falling asleep for a second! In case you didn't know, the two of us have been up for almost forty eight hours and it can take a lot out of you!"

"Um, Gerald, maybe you shouldn't—" Arnold had taken a step forward and was hesitantly addressing his best friend.

And he was right to caution him because a scowling Helga, meanwhile, knew that she should just let what he was saying go (the safer for her reputation and for keeping her secret) but his tone and ignorance were really getting under her skin...and Helga had never had an easily controlled temper as it was. As a result, she took a step back into the room and cut Arnold off. "Hey, tall hair boy! It's not like I just rolled out of bed at the crack of noon or anything! In case you forgot, I was running around that building and that bus at 6am and change too! I mean, you and Football Head haven't been the only ones severely stressed out for a couple of days, you know!"

Arnold's eyes went wide and he reached out a hand. "Helga, maybe you shouldn't—"

It was too late, though, and suddenly the scowl left Gerald's face and he looked at Helga with confusion. "Wait…what do you mean we 'haven't been the only ones stressed out for a couple of days'…" Suddenly, he put his hands on his hips and gave Helga a scrutinizing look. "Helga, what exactly is going on here with you and Arnold and FTi?"

Helga felt all color drain from her face and her scowl was gone in an instant. She swallowed and mentally wanted to smack herself for having such a big mouth. "Oh, uh, well I just meant…I mean…" She laughed nervously, glancing away. "It's, uh, it's actually a funny story, kind of…" She swallowed. "Um… you see…" Helga fished for anything that could be a plausible (yet non secret revealing) explanation for the extent of her involvement in recent adventures…but she was coming up with nothing. It didn't help either that she felt about as on the spot as possible right now considering that Gerald was practically staring her down.

"Um…" Arnold suddenly stepped between Helga and his best friend, doing his best to smile casually. "Helga just meant that, well…" Arnold rubbed the back of his neck, glancing down and away from Gerald, doing his best to smile. "Well, I know I'm supposed to be the optimist and always looking on the bright side, Gerald, but for a while there I was starting to get a little nervous that saving the entire neighborhood might be a little harder than we expected so I, uh…I started trying to get Helga to convince her dad to talk to Sheck since they were going to be business partners…" Arnold just shrugged and gave a small, sheepish grin. "I guess I was just hoping that hearing from an adult how much not tearing this place down would mean to all of us would be a good back up plan in case you and me couldn't convince Sheck ourselves or find the tomato document." He looked up hesitantly at Gerald, hoping beyond hope that reasoning he'd just given had made sense.

Gerald just looked at Arnold curiously for a second or two more, and then to Helga who was merely giving Arnold a blank look, and then back to Arnold. Suddenly, a bit of the fatigue from the day and the adventure he'd been on caught up to him and Gerald couldn't help but yawn. "Oh…" he stretched up and cracked his neck to one side. "Okay. Why didn't you just tell me that before?"

Arnold blinked. OH…uh, well, I…" He fished for a reason.

"Uh, he didn't say anything because I asked him not to!" Helga suddenly announced, stepping forward herself now, a slight touch of desperation in her voice. She cleared her throat. "Uh, I…just didn't want it getting around that I'd been forced into side chatting with Football Head for a couple of days, heh, heh…" She did her best to glance over at Arnold and scowl at him, though it was difficult keeping up the tough girl façade considering how fast her heart was pounding in fear of getting caught.

At this explanation from Helga (much to her good fortune) Gerald just rolled his eyes at Helga and a little bit of his scowl returned. "Of course—can't be seen talking to 'geeks' like us."

Arnold and Helga instantly felt waves of relief wash over them at the sound of this accepting reply. However, their respective breaths caught in each of their throats one more time as Gerald raised an eyebrow once more and asked curiously, "But…what were you doing at the FTi building, then, Helga?"

The slightly surprised look returned to Arnold's face. Luckily for him, Helga had gotten a second wind by this point and suddenly stepped forward, all of the former sarcasm and harshness returning to her voice (coupled with an equally strong scowl). "Hey, it's not like I _wanted_ to be there or anything! Football Head just kept pestering me so much and my Dad was so distracted by the money that sleazy Nick guy kept promising him that I finally just decided to head on over to see this Sheck guy myself. I mean, not that I was going to 'beg and plead for him to do the right thing' like you two wannabe heroes, but, I don't know, I figured MAYBE I could get him to keep the park or the school or Gerald Field or something around just give Football Head SOMETHING to feel good about so he'd lose my number." She sighed in dramatic annoyance, crossing her arms over her chest. "But then I slam into him running around with some kind of video tape and talking about some kind of document and some wacko named Deep Voice, and the next thing I know I'm heading down the side of a building and nearly getting killed by you driving our bus, hair boy!" She put her hands on her hips and glared at Gerald. "Sheesh, remind me when we're in high school NEVER to get in a car with you behind the wheel, by the way! I know _third_ _graders_ who could have done better, and WITHOUT me and head boy working the brake and clutch!"

Gerald's scowl was back in full force now. "Whatever, Helga." He turned to his best friend and put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Arnold. Phil's got the Packard running and I got Jamie-O to agree to swing by and give me a ride back to my house, and I don't know about you but I'm ready to get out of here." He glared noticeably in Helga's direction, causing her to look away from him, still scowling. He just rolled his eyes at her again and turned back to Arnold. "Besides, I was talking to my man fuzzy slippers just now and he said we've got an appointment with Bridget at 7 sharp tomorrow to get the spy stuff back to her so the sooner we get to bed the better."

Helga gave an exasperated sigh. "Yeah, yeah, you two head home and get your beauty sleep, and I guess I'll see you on Monday since our school's still standing and everything." She scoffed. "Meanwhile, if there was any flaw in this whole 'save the neighborhood' thing it's that you kept us from getting a two month head start on summer break!"

Gerald walked past her, ignoring the comment, and used his free hand to push open the lounge door fully while the other hand, still on Arnold's shoulder, guided his best friend out of the door alongside him and away from the scowling, yelling girl behind them.

"But…" Arnold was moved a few steps out of the door but couldn't help turning back to look at Helga. "Helga, I—"

He watched her just sigh and look at him with the typical annoyed look she'd given him all of his life. "Oh just get going so you can make your appointment with 'Bridget.' " She rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Hmph! Thinks she's little miss 'secret agent woman' or something…" he heard her mumble under her breath as Gerald began to lead him away and the door closed behind them.

"Mmm, mmm, mmm…Man, I don't know how you have so much patience with that girl, Arnold—she is such a pain!" Gerald couldn't help but complain, still scowling, as he and a hesitant Arnold headed for the direction of the door leading back to the main room of Slausen's.

Arnold just sighed and did his best to glance back one more time in the direction of the employee lounge in which they'd left Helga. "Gerald…" he turned back to his friend, and took a breath, considering his words carefully, "I know she might not seem very nice sometimes but…she did try to help us and without her we couldn't have gotten the bus across town, and it _is_ her birthday…"

Gerald just sighed but couldn't help smiling at his best friend. "Arnold, you are way too nice a guy sometimes, you know that? It's okay to get a little annoyed with people sometimes, especially with someone like Helga," he joked reassuringly.

Arnold, however, rather than laughing along with him as Gerald had expected, merely just sighed again…and a slight smile came to his face? "She's…she's not SO bad, Gerald… I mean, I walked her here and we actually had an…an okay time. She can even be kind of funny sometimes, you know?" He looked to Gerald and blinked at the confused look suddenly upon his best friend's face.

Gerald instantly stopped just before the door they had been heading towards, and put a hand on Arnold's shoulder. "Man, you really ARE tired aren't you?" He pushed open the swinging door leading to the area behind the counter in the front of Slausen's. "Come on, I'm getting you to Phil before you pass out again or start saying even more crazy things about liking Helga Pataki."

Arnold just sighed once more and couldn't help his grin growing slightly at how much this conversation reminded him of one he'd had with Helga not too long ago that day…and how interesting the idea had seemed to him at the time (and still seemed to him) that she could care about him so much. "Okay, Gerald. But I'm telling you she's…she's not as bad as she seems…it's even kind of nice to be around her sometimes…" Arnold mentally sighed. '_In real life and even in my dreams_…' he couldn't help but mentally add as some of the better feelings from the dream he'd just had washed over him again now that the panic of getting caught was over. '_Still, I hope I wasn't saying her name or anything…I don't think I could live it down if she ever found out that I dreamt that we…that she kissed me and I liked it_…_and I wouldn't want her to get the wrong idea and think that I was leading her on or something...I mean, it was a nice kiss but it was just a dream..._' And yet, even though it had only been a dream kiss that he'd liked, Arnold could still feel a blush threaten to come to his face at even the idea of Helga finding out about it. '_I guess now I know how she felt this morning when I caught her dreaming about me_…' His smile grew just a bit at the memory. '_I wonder if she really was saying me name back to m—_' Arnold felt his breath catch in his throat as he realized his thoughts in reference to Helga G. Pataki were once again going down a very strange and unexpected path. He cleared his throat and readjusted his tie and hoped Gerald hadn't noticed his dazed smiling or paid too much attention to how much he had just been openly praising Helga.

Gerald just gave an exasperated sigh and yanked a still smiling Arnold out of the back room by his collar and back into the front of the ice cream parlor. "Okay, okay, man, fine—like you always say, she's secretly some decent person who just needs a chance." He smiled at his best friend, shaking his head a few times. "There, now that that's settled, let's get you cleaned up and then outside before the rest of the boarders start a riot in the Packard." Gerald, to Arnold's surprise, suddenly snorted and added as they walked over to the sink. "Man, you really were going to town on that chocolate fudge ripple, weren't you? It's practically in your hair." He laughed.

Arnold had to laugh as well as he turned on the sink. "Hey, it was an eating contest and I _did_ have to try my best to protect my title." He couldn't help but recall Helga's mention of this fact just after they'd arrived at her party.

Gerald yawned again and splashed come cold water onto his face as Arnold washed the stickiness from his hands first before attending to his own face. "Yeah…and hey don't let it get you down that Harold took the gold. After two days of no sleep and barely anything to munch on to stretch your stomach, I don't think anyone expected you to be in top form to 'eat through the pain.'"

The two boys shared a laugh. "Yeah. I'm going to need to brush up a bit if I decide to enter next year's contest…" Arnold added with a smile, finally finishing up with his arms and getting ready to move on to washing his face.

Gerald smiled as well, grabbing a towel and wiping his own face off. "I don't know, man…I mean, you might not have been able to keep going straight through like you used to be able to, but it's pretty impressive that after nearly a full gallon of ice cream you were able to go back for seconds at ANY point."

Arnold had been about to wipe off his mouth, to start, when he paused and turned to Gerald with an eyebrow raised. "What are you talking about?"Arnold had gone to look for the napkins and taken his accidental nap right after the ice cream eating contest. He'd had no time or opportunity (or desire, considering how full he had been at that point) to eat any other ice cream than the gallon of chocolate ripple. The _only_ gallon of chocolate ripple, mind you, that anyone had been able to find up front or in the back of Slausen's, as far as Arnold knew...

Gerald yawned and stretched up again, obviously unaware of these facts. He looked at Arnold. "Well, your face might be covered with all the chocolate ripple you were eating from the contest but what vanilla flavor were you eating that's all over your mouth like that?" Gerald asked with mild curiosity, doing his best to fight back another yawn.

Arnold continued to look in his direction with his eyebrow raised as before for just another second or two.

And then his eyes went wide and he hesitantly pressed his lips together for a second, letting the taste of whatever was on them enter his mouth. '_Vanilla_…' But not just any vanilla…a very distinct and very sweet vanilla…and very familiar too…

Instantly, Arnold rushed away from Gerald and the sink to the long mirror always hanging up on the wall behind the Slausen's counter, and looked at the face staring back at him. Indeed, there was chocolate on his cheeks and on his nose and all around his chin…but in the center of all of this a perfect flower of creamy white vanilla sat upon his lips. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

"Arnold…you okay man?" Gerald raised an eyebrow at his best friend.

Suddenly, Arnold blew past him back in the direction of the back room.

"Arnold, what's up?" Gerald called after him with genuine concern.

"Gerald, just…just tell Grandpa I'm going to walk back to the boarding house, okay! I'm sorry, but I have to take care of something and it's really _really_ important!" And, with that, Arnold burst through the door to the back room and out of sight, leaving Gerald to watch it swinging in his wake.

"Uh…" Gerald felt a little torn to say the least. He wanted to do what his best friend had asked but it also seemed like Arnold might need a little help with something. He hesitated.

"Hello, Gerald. Is everything okay? You seem a bit distressed."

The sound of Phoebe Heyerdahl's voice coming from atop a stool on the other side of the counter suddenly snapped Gerald out of his indecision paralysis and he turned to her, feeling a half smile pull at his face despite his current dilemma. "Oh, uh, hey, Phoebe. Um, actually…" he jerked a thumb in the direction of the doors by which Arnold had just exited, "Arnold's Grandpa's waiting for him outside, and we were both all set to get going when suddenly he just up and bolted back there with Helga again and told me to tell Phil that he has something important to do and to head on back to the boarding house without him."

He watched with curiosity as Phoebe blinked, the smile leaving her face just slightly. "Oh…I see…" She seemed to consider for a second and then Gerald watched as her smile returned and got a little stronger. "With Helga, you said?" she asked with a touch of interest.

Gerald, an eyebrow raised, just nodded. "Uh huh…I found him back there before—the two of them were fighting or something—and when we came up here she didn't follow us but then he suddenly just bolted back there when we were in the middle of washing up." That look of distress came back to Gerald's face and suddenly he moved away from the counter and straightened his tie, glancing in the direction of the door in question. "Maybe I should go back there, just to check on him…"

He was about to move away when two things caught his attention: the sound of Phoebe saying a slightly panicked "No!" and the feeling of her reaching over the counter and grabbing one of his wrists.

Gerald felt himself swallow hard and even blush slightly at sudden contact. He turned back to her, looking at her curiously.

Phoebe, her eyes wide, suddenly glanced from Gerald back down to the arm she was holding and then away, blushing slightly. She released him and cleared her throat. "That is to say…I…believe it would be best to let Arnold and Helga work out any issues they may have deal with on their own, Gerald. Trust me…Helga's actually a very good person deep down and I think some time to talk with someone like Arnold might be…exactly what she needs to allow her to express that side of herself." She smiled at the boy before her.

Gerald just continued to look at her with a bit of perplexity. Then he turned his eyes in the direction of the back room door, and then back to Phoebe, and then repeated the process once more. Finally, though, he moved back in the direction of the young Japanese girl and looked down, like he was carefully considering something. Then he looked back to Phoebe with a scrutinizing gaze. "Phoebe…somehow I get the feeling that you and Arnold and Helga aren't telling me something about you and Arnold and Helga…or at least about Arnold and Helga…"

He watched as Phoebe's smile fell again and the color seemed to drain from her cheeks. She glanced away nervously. "Oh, well, um…Gerald, it—that is to say…"

He held up a hand, cutting her off. "No, now listen—Helga's your best friend and if there's something going on that involves her that she doesn't want anyone to know about I'm certainly not going to ask you to betray her trust. I'm just bringing it up because I want you to know that I'm _aware_ something's probably going on so you don't have to worry about accidently letting slip to me that there's something to slip about." He took a deep breath. "And as for Arnold and Helga right now…" he glanced back in the direction of the door behind which they both were and then looked back to Phoebe and smiled and sighed, "Well, like I said it seems to me that you know more about this than I do so…if you say we should leave them alone then I'm for it." He pressed his hands firmly against the top of the counter and pushed him self up and over it, landing over on the other side next to a once again smiling Phoebe. "Besides," he yawned once more, "I'm too tired to handle anymore crazy adventures today, but if Arnold wants to throw his hat in the ring for one more then who am I to stop him?"

Phoebe giggled. "Excellent logic, Gerald." She swallowed and glanced down. "And thank for um…for not pressing me about…I mean for accepting my suggestion without—"

Gerald just smiled and winked at her. "Hey, don't worry about it, babe." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm sure I'll get filled in by Arnold about it one of these days, anyway, whenever he thinks it's okay to let me in the loop." He smiled at Phoebe again. "Anyway…uh…" he rubbed the back of his neck and did his best to maintain eye contact, "Do you have a ride home?"

Phoebe glanced down, still smiling. "Oh, well, no, I…I was going to go back to Helga's house with her to finish celebrating her birthday but it seems she might be busy for a while, as you said, so I was probably going to just use the ice cream parlor phone to call my parents, or just walk."

"Oh…" Gerald put his arms behind his back and blushed slightly. "Well, uh…if you don't want to bother your Mom and Dad and if you don't feel too much like walking…well, my brother should be here any minute and I'm sure he wouldn't mind dropping you off too…"

His eyes were on the floor right now but he looked back up as he heard Phoebe giggle and she suddenly hopped off of the counter stool and approached him. He couldn't help but smile at the pleasant smile on her face. "I would…appreciate that very much. Thank you, Gerald."

The two of them just stared at each other for a few more seconds, smiling, until the sound of a car horn blaring a few times from outside and the sound of a familiar voice made them both blink and glance out of the glass windows of Slausen's. "Hey, Gerald! Come on, man, I have wrestling practice in an hour! If you don't get your butt out here in two minutes you can hoof it all the way back home!"

Gerald just sighed and rolled his eyes. He turned back to Phoebe. "Yeah, that would be Jamieo—as you can see he got stuck with all of the 'class' and 'charm' in the family."

Phoebe giggled. "Well, shall we go then, Gerald? He sounded quite serious about leaving if you didn't come out soon and besides I'd like to meet him."

Gerald smiled. "Sure thing, babe. Let's blow this pop stand."

The two kids began to head for the front doors of Slausens.

"Oh, uh, Phoebe…?" Phoebe glanced at Gerald, who was currently rubbing the back of his neck and glancing down sheepishly. "Listen, uh, if Jamie-O says anything about you and me, you know, catching a ride together…I'm sorry in advance and I'll tell him to cool it but otherwise we should probably just try and ignore it…okay?" He managed to look at her.

Phoebe just smiled at him. "Of course, Gerald." She giggled. "I'm certain it will be a wonderful ride, though. After all…" she swallowed and hesitated but then added meekly with a smile, "At least we'll be together."

Gerald laughed to himself as he opened the door to let Phoebe out first and then himself. "You and Arnold—always looking on the bright side." He shook his head. "Makes me wonder how the two of you could possibly get involved in a secret that also involves Helga. That girl never seems to like or be happy about anything."

He heard Phoebe sigh and glanced at her, an eyebrow raised. She didn't look at him and seemed to consider carefully before replying quietly, "I'm sorry I can't explain everything to you, Gerald. But I believe I can safely at least let you know that you're correct about your last point. She never does seem to like or be happy about anything…but that doesn't mean there aren't actually thinks she does indeed like and that make her feel happy…She just…needs a chance to figure out how to show people what they are." She turned to Gerald and smiled, and though Gerald felt just as confused as ever, he couldn't help but sigh and smile back at her.

The blaring sound of Jamieo's horn made him cringe, though. "Aw, Gerald, is that your little girlfriend? Aw—why don't you give her a big smooch goodbye?! Ha, ha!"

Gerald glared at his brother. "JAMIE-O!" he yelled back firmly through gritted teeth. He closed his eyes for a second as his brother's laughter continued, rubbing his temples. Finally he took a breath and spoke again as he and Phoebe finally reached the car. "She just needs a ride home. Can you swing by her house to drop her off WITHOUT letting your annoying sense of humor get in the way?"

Jamieo just smiled at the two kids. "Oh, come on, Gerald. I was just kidding." He smiled at Phoebe, who was blushing quite a bit at his last comment but doing her best to get it under control. "Hi, I'm Jamieo, Gerald's smarter, cooler, stronger and handsomer older brother. Nice to meet you, uh…"

Phoebe cleared her throat as Gerald opened the backseat door and allowed her to slide in first before getting in himself. "I'm Phoebe. It's nice to meet you too, Jamieo. I believe I've only ever had the pleasure of talking with Timberly before. Thank you for agreeing to give me a ride home—I truly appreciate it."

"Ah, no problem," Jamieo waved her off with a smile. "How many blocks away do you live?"

"Oh just two up from here and one over. A large blue house with the name Heyerdahl on the mailbox. It's not very far at all."

"Alright," Jamieo turned around in his seat and revved the car's engine. "Well, you direct, Phoebe, and I'll get you there. And Gerald," he turned back to his brother (who was currently still giving him a bit of a distrusting and annoyed look) and smiled, "Try not to embarrass yourself TOO much in the few minutes it's going to take us to get there okay?"

Gerald rolled his eyes. "Just drive Jamieo…"

Jamieo laughed. "Okay man… don't know if I'll do as good as you did with that bus but I'll give it a shot." He cleared his throat and then and looked at his younger brother sincerely. "But, uh, seriously, listen— good job with this whole 'saving the neighborhood' thing. You might still be a squirt but you're a pretty hardcore one at least." He winked and turned around.

Gerald blinked. "Oh, uh…thanks, Jamieo."

"No problem, man." Jamieo began to pull away from the curb but then suddenly something caught Gerald's eye and a memory of something he had yet to do resurfaced in his mind.

He leaned over the back seat and put a hand on Jamieo's shoulder. "Hey, Jamieo, can you pull up by that green Packard for a sec—I just gotta tell Arnold's grandpa something."

"No problem, man." Jamieo quickly wheeled around to pull up beside the car in question.

Gerald leaned out of the window. "Hey, Phil!"

"Oh NOW who's calling me Phi—Oh, young Gerald!" Phil leaned out of the driver's side of the Packard window and smiled. "Have you seen Arnold yet? I know I sent that little girl with the pink bow and the one eyebrow to look for him but that was quite a while ago, heh, heh…" He couldn't help laughing to himself.

Gerald just smiled. "Yeah, uh, I think he had to talk to Helga some more about something so he said to tell you he's just going to walk back to the boarding house."

Phil's grin only widened. "_Oh_, I see. Well, thank you for letting me know, Gerald. I'll be sure to leave the porch light on for him, heh, heh…" He leaned back inside of the car. "Come on, everyone, we're heading out!" A chorus of cheers resounded from the boarders currently inside of the Packard who had been waiting in the parked running car for a while now for news about Arnold.

"See you, Phil!" Gerald called back with a smile, and then leaned back into Jamieo's car. "Okay, man," he looked to his brother, "Let's go."

"You got it!" And with that Jamieo began driving up the street in the direction of Phoebe's house.

"So, what, Arnold's off with that Helga girl who's always pulling those hysterical pranks on you guys?" Jamieo asked with a smile, turning a corner

Gerald sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yes, Jamie-O. He had some big last minute emergency or something."

Jamieo just laughed and shook his head, making another turn. "Man you guys really are growing up, aren't you? You've got me driving you and a girl home in my back seat, and Arnold's off choosing to talk to a girl instead of getting some sleep when you two have been up for two days straight."

Gerald felt himself blush slightly. "Jamieo!" he scolded again through gritted teeth. "Phoebe and me are just really good friends, okay…!" He managed to glance at Phoebe out of the corner of his eye and saw that she was just pleasantly staring at the streets and buildings they were passing by but also blushing a bit from his brother's comments. He continued his sentence without thinking at first, too distracted by his hope that she was having an okay time on this car ride despite the awkward side commentary from his brother. "And Arnold and Helga aren't…" Suddenly it hit him just how strange and completely random the last half of that sentence was bound to sound…and yet…also…how it could almost explain…well…a lot…however utterly unfathomable and impossible it was. Still, despite the implausibility, Gerald nonetheless found his eyes going wide and suddenly he was staring at Phoebe rather than just gazing at her, almost as though searching for confirmation or denial of the suggestion of something…something like _that_ going on between Arnold and Helga. "They aren't…they're not…" He couldn't help but suddenly rest a hand on top of one of Phoebe's shoulders causing her to turn to face him in surprise. And he couldn't help adding in a very low whisper so that only the two of them would hear, "…Are they?"

Phoebe's eyes went very wide for a moment. And then he watched her close them, take a breath, clean her glasses on her sweater, and finally, after putting her glasses back on, smile at him again…and almost laugh. "Oh Gerald…really…Arnold and Helga? I'll admit there is something they need to settle between them that I'm partially aware of. But a secret like that?" She sighed and did her best to go back to looking casually at the passing city streets (and to stall for a second to phrase the remained of what she had to say as carefully as possible). "A mutual relationship between those two does seem highly unlikely to the casual observer."

Gerald continued to eye her for a second or two more, and then glanced down and tried to think carefully about everything she'd just said though it was hard for him to keep the wording straight. Overall, though, she seemed to be denying the crazy idea that had just popped into his mind. He actually shook his head for a second to clear it as he thought about the idea bit more now. '_Yeah right, what was I thinking—those two…an item? **Please**! One of them probably just did another favor for the other one besides the stuff Helga was talking about that I don't know about and they're trying to square things_.' He almost laughed to himself. _'Arnold and Helga crushing on each other—yeah, I'll believe it when I see it!_' He looked back up at Phoebe and smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right, Phoebe. Sorry, I'm really tired and I guess I wasn't thinking."

Phoebe smiled, secretly feeling a great deal of relief wash over her. "Quite alright, Gerald. Oh, and by the way," he seemed to be accepting her version of things but Phoebe still felt the need to change the topic of their conversation nonetheless, just in case, "Thank you very much for helping with the preparations for the party today. "It's not in Helga's nature to show too much emotion publically, she's actually very thankful."

Gerald just waved her off. "Ah, you're welcome, Phoebe. It was actually pretty fun."

She smiled, very pleased that the event had turned out so well. "Yes, I believe everyone had a good time."

"Hey," Gerald leaned back, spreading his arms over the top of the seat, "You give any self respecting ten year old unlimited access to ice cream and Birthday cake and a good time is unavoidable."

Phoebe giggled and Gerald smiled, happy at how well this ride together was going and at the chance to spend some time alone with the girl before him.

"Well, here we are you two—sorry to cut the 'friendship' fest short!" Jamieo had just entered Phoebe's block and pulled up to the house she'd described. Gerald had to glare at his brother for his less-than-slight emphasis on the word friendship.

Phoebe sighed and looked to Gerald with a smile. "Well, good afternoon, Gerald. Thank you for the ride." She glanced in the direction of the front seat. "And thank you as well, Jamieo.'

"No problem, Phoebe. And hey," Jamieo leaned back and grabbed Gerald around the neck in a choke hold, "Anytime you need a ride with my brother anywhere just let me know, okay?"

She smiled and nodded. "Of course, and thank you again." She looked to Gerald and her smile brightened just a bit. "I'll see you at school on Monday then, Gerald." And with that she quickly raced over to her stoop and into her house.

Jamieo finally let Gerald go with a laugh and then pulled away from the curb again to head back to the Johanssen house. "Hey, very smooth for your first car date, man—VERY smooth!" He laughed to himself.

"Jamieo…" came Gerald's frustrated call again as he leaned back in the back seat, crossing his arms over his chest in frustration at his brother's teasing. "She's just a nice girl and she needed a ride home, and I happen to be a gentleman, okay?"

Jamieo just shook his head. "Hey, whatever, man. You picked a good one though—she's nice and funny and from that vocabulary she sounded smart. Perfect chick to whip you into shape. Seriously, though, man," they stopped at a light and he glanced back at his brother, "If you two are ever thinking about going anywhere and you want a chauffer for the night just let me know." He smiled. "You need a life outside of Purdy boy books and random shenanigans with Arnold, Gerald. Seriously! And believe me, if Arnold's getting a girl now it'll get pretty boring if you don't have one two." He winked and then turned back forward and resumed driving.

Gerald just sighed and looked out of the window. "Whatever, man…" He didn't want to give Jamieo the satisfaction of confirming his suspicions about himself and Phoebe, but still Gerald couldn't help at least smiling to himself at his brother's offer and encouragement.

Inside, meanwhile, Gerald actually almost couldn't help laughing to himself again at the last thing Jamieo had mentioned about Arnold. _'Yeah, Arnold with a girlfriend before me—THAT'LL be the day… And going with Helga G. Pataki of all people… What the heck was I thinking? Like that could ever happen… I mean, I guess it could but they'd probably end up killing each other midway into appetizers during the first date. Not that that would matter much since the two of them getting together would be a pretty obvious sign of the impending apocalypse, heh_…' He sighed to himself and smiled just a bit more. '_Oh well, at least I have Phoebe to keep me straight_…' And as Phoebe's name entered his head he got lost in thoughts about her for the rest of the drive back to his house…

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**A/N:**

I know, I know, I'm sorry for the cliffie with Arnold and Helga! Just trying to keep you on your toes ;) On the bright side, we got some fun GeraldXPhoebe :) And for those of you who still want to kill me for leaving off with Arnold just running into that back room, not to give too much away but I will at least say this about what happens next with them: Arnold just has two questions for Helga (after some more awkwardness occurs, of course) and they are NOT at all two questions Helga would have seen coming in a million years! I promise I'll try and get it all up as soon as I can! Thanks for being so patient, everyone :)

Happy Reading!!!

~Azure129 aka Jenna

AXH FOREVER!!!!!!


	5. Private Party, Part 2

**A/N:**

Hey guys! Okay, so super apologies for this being so late and super apologies for really dropping the ball lately with replying to reviews and inbox messages and other such things. I'm graduating college in a few weeks and I've been completely swamped with work so any free time I've had has been going more into the fanfic writing than anything else. However, I'm definitely going to be getting back on top of things and responding to all of your wonderful comments asap!!!

Okay, so here's the last chapter of this crazy fic, and I'll try and get the epilogue up sometime in the next week or so (and please stay tuned for it because it's a pretty decent length thing and it should be a lot of fun ;) ).

Alright, so let's get to Arnold confronting Helga about this kiss!

**A PERFECT TEN**

**Chapter 5:**

**Private Party, Part 2**

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"Gerald, just…just tell Grandpa I'm going to walk back to the boarding house, okay! I'm sorry, but I have to take care of something and it's really _really_ important!" And, with that, Arnold burst through the door to the back room and out of sight, leaving Gerald to watch it swinging in his wake.

As Arnold had left the sink and his best friend behind to return to Helga G. Pataki with a pounding heart and vanilla stained lips, his thoughts raced.

'_Okay, okay…you're just going to go back to that room and she'll be there, and then you'll talk to her and it'll turn out that you're just making a big deal out of nothing, and that she didn't really…didn't really_…' He swallowed hard. '…_Didn't really kiss you again. It was just a dream._' He clung to this thought, trying to soothe himself with it. '_Yeah, it was just a dream. And the only reason I might have started to like it was because it was just my imagination getting carried away and all of the stuff that's happened today and because she gave me my first real kiss…_' He did his best to continue taking comfort in this thread of logic, a small relieved smile actually coming to his face as he ran across the storage area back to the employee lounge. '_It was just all of those things on top of each other after a really long couple of days… It wasn't_…' He did his best to keep his breathing steady. '_It wasn't because when Helga actually kisses me it actually makes me feel_…' He felt his stomach flip for about the millionth time that day as the word that entered his mind to complete that sentence turned out to be… '…_good_.'

Still, despite how reassuring his thought process in all of this seemed to him, Arnold knew how flimsy it all really sounded. For example, if he was so sure he was just imagining things about that bit of vanilla on his mouth being from Helga, why race back here like he was doing now to confront her one more time? Just as he was about to reach the door to push it open, he had to stop and take a few steps back and think about that one. '_Because_…' he started again, finally giving articulation to the fear currently propelling him back to Helga, '_Because if she really did kiss me while I was asleep and it made me feel some of those things I was feeling in the dream…about it not being so bad and about kind of not minding her doing it eventually and about kind of…kind of doing it along with her…then…_' Arnold suddenly couldn't help but wish he hadn't been in such shock during Helga's FTi kiss…and that his grandfather hadn't interrupted them in the street before. Maybe then he could have had a better handle on the emotions he apparently had in regards to Helga's kisses…. Arnold instantly shook his head, trying to block out this desire of wishing he'd had more time to kiss Helga and the implication behind it that he maybe didn't mind this new development in his life of Helga wanting to kiss him. He took a few more steps away from the door and put his arms behind his back, starting to pace. He quietly whispered to himself in a desperate voice as he swiftly walked back and forth. "This is ridiculous—I do not like Helga…not like _that_! I mean, she's just a _friend_!" He closed his eyes tight, his voice becoming firmer like he was trying to drill this fact into his head instead of actually believing it. "She's just a really good friend! She's Helga and I'm Arnold and…we're just really good friends!"

He felt his relieved smile starting to return a bit…until an additional thought quickly popped up in his head, reminding once more of how far from simple his predicament really was. '_A really good friend that I maybe like kissing…_.'

Arnold stopped pacing and swallowed hard again, shaking his head once more to clear it. "But…but I only know that I like kissing her in a dream…."And then his pacing resumed and he was back to trying to convince himself that he was making way too big a deal and presuming way to much from a single smudge of vanilla on his mouth. However, thinking about his dream again then brought a whole new set of problematic ideas into Arnold's wide head. "But if I like kissing her in a dream does that mean that, even if she didn't kiss me while I was asleep, that I want to kiss her in real life like that…?" He instantly felt heat flood his face. "No, I…I can't really want THAT. That whole weird end to her confession wasn't something that I wanted either… It was just part of my imagination, just like liking kissing her." Once again, he felt just a bit more reassured. Especially about this last part as he recalled how their actual conversation after their adventure and Helga's confession had gone that morning. "That…that's why in real life I tried to let her get out of it when we talked after Sheck got taken away…" And yet, despite the degree to which his actions this morning seemed to support the idea that Arnold had indeed wanted to avoid Helga's feelings…our Football Headed hero couldn't help the thought nagging at the back of his mind that though they had both agreed pretending things were the same as ever was best, still it was obvious that both he and Helga weren't _entirely_ _opposed_ to at least a small bit of change in their relationship as all of the teasing and the party planning and the truth telling that morning/afternoon had more than proven.

Arnold had to stop once again, his concerned eyes falling on the door behind which lay Helga Pataki. He swallowed and slowly took a step or two back toward it, ceasing his whispering to himself in case Helga suddenly came out so she wouldn't hear him. _'So…so does all of that stuff—how open we were being with each other at her house and on the way here and how I almost…how we almost kissed in the street before—does it mean that I actually maybe wanted her to admit back there this morning that she was telling the truth…_' He blinked. _'And did I want her to…DO I want her to_…' he corrected himself, looking pensive as he finally reached the door, putting one of his hands against its surface and the other on the door knob as he prepared to push it open and confront Helga while he still had the nerve. '_Do I want her to not let me let her off the hook…to even…even maybe make me face the fact that she loves me…_' At this idea Arnold took a step away from the door once again to consider. Before he could go off on another thought tangent though (which, he had to admit to himself, would probably eventually lead him to abandoning this last confrontation with Helga considering how nervous all of this thinking was making him), Arnold just shook his head, got a determined look in his eye, took a deep breath and turned the handle and pushed the door in, striding briskly into the room before his fear could get to him anymore.

Still, though just before opening said door Arnold had told himself to put all of the 'what ifs' out of his mind for now until he at least found out whether or not Helga had actually successfully given him a second kiss today, he couldn't help a final very interesting thought popping into his head as he quickly stepped over the threshold into the space of the room…or, where the space of the room SHOULD have been if a certain someone hadn't been approaching the door to exit at just that moment. This last thought of Arnold's before colliding with Helga was in the form of a sincere question, actually. _'But…I'm confused and I need time to think…I already told her that and she agreed that things going back to normal was best for both of us… So why would I want Helga to start treating me like she loves m—'_

_CRASH!!!_

Arnold wasn't quite sure what had happened at first, but after a second to process things he began to realize that he had slammed against something firm and warm…and he could also now feel that he had fallen upon the floor…laying on top of whatever it was, actually. His eyes closed, he lifted his head up and put a hand to it, then blinked a few times in dizziness. His green eyes flew open instantly, though, at the sight of the pair of wide blues (mere inches away, mind you) that surprisingly met them…

* * *

Now, while Gerald and Arnold had been having their little conversation leading to Arnold's awareness of a lip print of vanilla on his mouth and his mini existential crisis in the back room before hastily bursting into the employee lounge, here's what Helga had been doing...

As the two boys had left her alone in the room she'd maintained her scowl and annoyed stance for several seconds for good measure (just in case they'd decided to double back for any reason). After about a half a minute or so of continuing to be left alone, though, she'd finally let the scowl drop, taken a quick glance out of the door to see the back room completely empty now, and then closed it behind herself and let out the biggest sigh of her life before walking across the small room and collapsed upon the couch where Arnold had been sleeping mere seconds ago…

"I swear, I am getting TOO old for this!" she announced with a tired sigh, rubbing her temples with her hand. "One of these days, one of these little Arnold adventures is going to get me _killed_…"

And with this debatably true statement, Helga had just been content to recline there and relax for a few more moments in peace…maybe even take a quick nap herself…when the specific mention of her beloved's name made her heart flutter and suddenly reminded her of the specifics of the situation she'd just had to get them out of…

With one final quick glance around the obviously empty room, she quickly pulled her Arnold locket out of her shirt and gazed at it lovingly. "Oh, but Arnold, no matter what the risks or the stress or the insanity it's always worth it to be in any way a part of your life! I helped you realize your dream and save our wonderful neighborhood, and not only has it made you happy but it means we get to continue growing up together, eventually leading to you returning my feelings and our courtship and a proposal and our wedding and our happy life together traveling around the world forever!"

She giggled and sighed girlishly, hugging the locket to her chest. "And to make it all even more perfect it seems my confession _didn't_ ruin everything between us! Oh, my beloved, and not only did you help Phoebe throw this wonderful surprise party for me by getting me to come here but then you, you, you…oh ARNOLD!" She couldn't help laughing in delight to herself. "You DREAMT about me! I kissed you and it made you smile and say my name and you were _dreaming_ about _me_!!! Oh, Arnold, it's the most wonderful present I could have gotten—just a little piece of hope that maybe…maybe you not only like me as a friend but that there's even a _chance_ that something I said touched your heart enough that perhaps it's brought you a little closer to the possibility of us becoming something _more_!" She practically squealed and then let out a deep sigh, a blissful smile on her face as she gazed at her Arnold locket for a few seconds more.

Helga took a breath, sighing contentedly as she stood up and moved away from the couch, and placed her locket back in its spot inside of her jumper. Though she knew she should be getting ready to resume her usual scowl for the adults and other kids outside, Helga couldn't help smiling to herself again and quietly adding just a little something to her monologue as she began to walk toward the exit of the lounge. "I think my only regret, my dearest Arnold, is that I had to disturb you while you were sleeping so soundly…looking so adorable with that smile on your face and covered in ice cream…" She laughed slightly to herself and had to stop a few feet from the door and turn her head back in the direction of the couch once more as she recalled Arnold's sleeping form there not too long ago… "And, of course, I can't help but regret that I didn't get to gaze at that face of yours with my lip print of vanilla upon it for a little while longer…I know it was dangerous leaving a piece of evidence around like that but still…" She giggled to herself, turning her face back in the direction of the door. "You looked just so adorable with the proof of my love for you upon your lips like that…Oh, Arnold…" She sighed once more, now standing with her hand against the door's surface to push it open. "If I could have one more wish for my birthday it would be for one more glance of that proof of one of our kisse—OOF!!!"

It took Helga second or two but she suddenly realized she had been hurled back onto the floor with a very heavy and warm weight upon her…

Her eyes flew open in surprise and she felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of Arnold's face mere inches from her own…his green eyes about as wide as she was sure her blue ones must be right now.

The two children just remained in that position for several seconds, staring at each other as they tried to catch their breaths and calm down from the shock of suddenly finding themselves not only upon the floor but so close to one other.

After all, if there was one thing Arnold hadn't expected to happen upon racing back into that room, it was to suddenly crash into and then find himself on top of Helga G. Pataki.

And if there was one thing Helga hadn't expected to happen EVER in reality, it was to suddenly feel Arnold's warm body laying atop her own…and not showing any sign that he was going to remove it any time soon…

Arnold was about to try and get up and then offer Helga a hand to help her stand as well, as he often did whenever the two of them crashed into one another in the hallways at school or coming around corners on the street… This chivalrous instinct was just a little overcome though, to say the least, as a bit of darkness upon Helga G. Pataki's otherwise vanilla stained face suddenly caught his eye…and Arnold instantly realized that Helga had chocolate ice cream in a very distinct shape upon her lips…and ONLY upon her lips… and that this situation meant some pretty big things for his question about whether or not any part of his sleeping feelings about kissing the girl currently underneath him had been based in reality.

Eventually, with Arnold apparently completely frozen and just staring into her eyes, and unable to move and thus get them out of this position herself (and also finding it harder and harder not to go 'gaga' on him considering that this was the longest duration of physical contact the two of them had ever had), Helga swallowed and managed in a weak voice with a weak half smile, "Uh…hey, Football Head…forget something? Heh, heh…" '_What the heck is going on here and why did he come back and why is he still not moving?!?!_' Her heart was pounding so quickly by this point that Helga was almost entirely convinced that he must be able to feel it…and that idea only made it beat even harder!

Arnold just continued staring at her in shock as he had been for quite a while now, but then finally (MUCH to her relief) she saw him blink as she finished addressing him. Instantly, a touch of a blush came to his face…though (to her interest and confusion) it quickly grew stronger as a couple of seconds passed to let it mature. The initial bit of red in Arnold's cheeks was due, of course, to realizing that he had been laying on top of Helga Pataki, just staring at her lips for quite a few seconds…the stronger blush, though, was entirely because he could have sworn, just for a second there, that as she'd said his name he'd felt a beat or two of her heart against his chest. In fact, that idea coming into his head was what had finally given him the motivation to stand. '_I…I don't make her that nervous…do I_?' Arnold shook his head for a second to push the question aside for now, deciding to chalk up the heartbeat thing to her just being understandably surprised at his sudden return. Feeling some of his shock ebb, Arnold finally cleared his throat and then did his best to push himself up off of the floor, finally freeing the girl below him. Now standing, he took one of Helga's hands and, without making eye contact and without asking her permission to assist her with standing as he usually did, helped pull her up.

Helga blinked at suddenly finding herself upright courtesy of Arnold. "Uh…thanks…" she did her best to muster some sarcasm and a scowl, though with how much of a nervous wreck she felt like, Helga knew it would be pretty weak. "But, sheesh, Arnoldo, watch where you're going! You were right before back in my room—you really ARE a klutz! Heh, heh…" She laughed nervously. "Really, Football Head—what do I have to do to get you to stop crashing into me all the time? And what are you doing back here again, anyway?! Don't you have a life _outside_ of bugging me that you'd like to return to?" '_This is all too much, too fast…too much Arnold, too much contact, too many awkward confrontation and revelations. Too much for one morning and afternoon. I just need him to get the heck out of here and back to his life with us still on decent enough terms so that I can head back to my house and sleep on everything that's happened today for the rest of the weekend, and then figure out how to handle it all with a clear head on Monday._'

With these desperate thoughts and a swallow, Helga quickly dusted herself off and then looked to Arnold…and she had to blink once more at the face she was met with from her beloved. He was looking at her again…though, rather than that wide eyed of surprise stare she'd come to know so well over the day, his eyes were very slightly narrowed and his head was turned just a bit to the side… Overall, he was definitely giving her a look of some kind, though Helga hadn't quite pieced together WHY just yet.

Suddenly, though, Arnold stepped forward and brought a fingertip to his lips, pulling away a bit of vanilla and showing it to Helga. His look became a little bit firmer. Inside, he was actually fuming just a bit at her attempt at returning to their former relationship right now when there was obviously at least one more thing to be settled between them before they went back to acting like the confession didn't happen. '_WHY is she so stubborn and how can she just act like everything's normal?! And…and if she doesn't want me to always keep coming back and trying to figure her out, maybe…well, maybe she shouldn't always act like she hates me but then sometimes do nice things for me and then tell me she LOVES me and then…and then keep trying to KISS me_!'

Helga, meanwhile, went just a bit wide-eyed, to say the least, at the bit of the white lip print currently upon Arnold's finger before her. And she was pretty sure her formerly pounding heart had just stopped. "Uh…" She did her best to smile at him, still trying her best to joke a bit though any of her sarcasm reserves were long gone. "You, uh, you get into the vanilla swirl, Football Head? Or snag a piece of my cake, or something, maybe, heh, heh?" she tried in vain to cover. _'I am so busted…Why oh WHY is he no longer dense?!?!?!_'

Arnold just let out slightly frustrated sigh and then reached forward and placed a fingertip briefly upon Helga's lips (effectively causing her to all but go into cardiac arrest at the fact that Arnold was touching her LIPS), and then pulled it away. He showed her the smudge of chocolate.

Helga just looked at it, her eyes going even wider if that was possible, and then looked back to Arnold nervously. "Uh…heck, and when did I get into that gallon of chocolate ripple of yours? Heh, heh…" '_Somebody just shoot me…please…This is a freaking nightmare…_'

At Helga's second attempt at feigning innocence, Arnold let out another sigh, his eyes still slightly narrowed. "Helga…" he began in a voice tinged with accusation.

"That's my name, don't wear it out!" She backed up, still smiling nervously.

Arnold approached her, crossing his arms over his chest. "Helga…" he started in a level voice, taking a deep breath, "I want to ask you a question and I'd like you to give me an honest answer, okay?"

She continued to back up, her heartbeat quickening. '_He knows I kissed him!!! Oh man, oh crimeny—this is it!!! He's going to absolutely lose it on me and tell me I'm the most horrible, creepiest person on the planet and that he never wants to see me again! Oh, I knew I shouldn't have snuck in that second kiss today—I was way too bold!_' "Uh…" suddenly she felt the back of her legs hit the couch: nowhere else to go. Helga did her best to smile casually at Arnold. "Well…okay, I guess…Uh, ask away, hair boy…"

Arnold paused right in front of her, no longer moving now that she had stopped. His narrowed eyes stared into her wide scared ones for another second before he finally closed his eyes and took one more deep breath, and then spoke. "Helga, when you k-kissed me…" he opened his eyes and gave her just a bit of a look again, "and I mean just now, _not_ back on that building…" He had to take another deep breath and close his eyes for just a second more before continuing, he felt so nervous about what he was about to ask her. "Did I…how did I…" Helga had to raise an eyebrow at the slight blush coming to Arnold's face. He opened his eyes and glanced away shyly, doing his best to continue as he let out one final sigh. "When you kissed me…what did I do, exactly?"

Helga just continued to stare at him in total confusion for several seconds more. "Huh?" she finally asked in bewilderment.

Arnold took another deep breath, his face softening a bit. "When you kissed me…" he managed to start again, now shifting his eyes to look back into hers…and she couldn't help but notice that the slight touch of frustration that had been in his gaze seemed replaced by a mixture of sincerity and just a bit of…desperation. "When you kissed me, what did I do exactly? I mean…" a bit of that blushing returned to his face, "How did I react?"

Helga just continued looking at him. Finally, she opened her mouth and simply replied with the first thing she could think of (which happened to be the truth), Arnold's proximity considerably messing with her usual defensive nature and ability to lie. "Yo-you…you smiled and then you…you said my name like you were dreaming about me or something…and then…Gerald was coming so I…I woke you up…" She just continued watching him with wide, unsure eyes.

And Arnold just continued staring at her as well as she said this to him…and she noticed (once again, to her confusion) that as she finished his blush strengthened just slightly. In fact, Arnold remained just looking at her with that reddish tinge upon his face for several seconds, as though trying to figure out something from studying her face…though Helga couldn't even begin to think of what that something might be…

Finally, though, Arnold broke eye contact with Helga and inhaled deeply, and then let out a sigh. And then he spoke again. "Okay…" He glanced down like he was thinking about something else, and Helga just continued to look at him unsurely. Finally, though, Arnold adjusted his tie and resumed eye contact with her once more. "Helga…?" he began in a quiet, sincere voice. '_There's only one way I'm ever going to be able to sort out what's going on with this kissing thing, isn't there_…'

Helga swallowed. "Uh…yes, Arnold…" '_Please don't let him be angry! Please don't let him be angry! I swear, I'll never steal a kiss from Arnold again… Okay, well, I'll at least think it through a little better the next time…But just please don't let him hate me_!' Helga couldn't help these desperate thoughts running through her head—at least Arnold had been willing to be her friend before and he had taken the confession very well all things considered…but what if she'd finally pushed things too far? '_He never wants to see me again…I just know it—he never want to s—_'

Helga's thoughts cut off at the surprising sight of her beloved closing his eyes once more and then, strangely enough, moving away from her back toward the door. '_Oh great, he's just going to run and never look back like I'm sure he's wanted to ever since he found me hiding behind that trench coat and voice box seven hours ago_!'

However, rather than bolting from the room, much to Helga's continued interest, Arnold merely approached the door, popped his head out into the storage room and glanced around for a second as though checking for something…or someone…and then pulled himself back into the room. He sighed and then turned around, slowly pushing the door closed behind himself, and then leaning against it for a second. He seemed to be considering something again, Helga noticed with a raised eyebrow, as he began looking toward the floor with a pensive look on his face.

Several seconds passed and then Arnold crossed his arms over his chest and finally looked back up in Helga's direction as though having come to a decision about something. '_She's going to hit me for asking this…I just know it…_' Still, Arnold had come to the decision that it had to be done or he knew he would never be able to pretend that nothing was different between them come Monday at school or ever again no matter how hard he tried…not with the all of those 'what if' thoughts about the kissing filling his head all the time…

And so, Arnold opened his mouth and spoke in a quiet and obviously nervous voice to the obviously completely confused girl mere feet from him. "Helga…do you remember how before…when we were walking here…I said that we didn't have to talk about things right now because, well…you don't want to just yet and I don't think I could just yet…at least not until I had some time to think about things?"

Helga, who was listening intently, merely nodded her head, still having no clue where he was going with this or when the blow-up from him that she was convinced she more-than-deserved would finally come.

Arnold sighed once more and continued. "Well…I think that…I think that it's not just stuff you _told_ me that I have to think about. I mean, I think I also have to think about stuff that you…um…_did_." He swallowed hard, feeling his stomach twist.

Helga felt her heart skip a beat at this information and what it was obviously referring to. "Oh…" was all she could think to say. "Okay…"

Arnold swallowed and finally gave in to the unbearable urge he was having to glance at the floor instead of looking into Helga's eyes as he finally got to the point he was trying to make…or rather the favor he was about to ask for. "Helga…I…I need to ask you a really big favor…And…and if you don't want to do it I'll understand but…I think it would help me a little bit…with thinking about things, I mean. And also…" Helga couldn't help but notice a half smile actually come to his lips as he finished, "I've got this strange feeling that things aren't going to be able to go back to normal between us unless it happens again…I mean, with me _knowing_ it's happening…" he added, almost…laughing to himself?

Helga just continued to stare at him with wide eyes, too distracted by the fresh memory of him on top of her and half the things that had happened between them that day to see the obvious direction of his thoughts and words. "Arnold, what the heck are you saying exactly?" she finally asked in a genuinely curious voice, devoid of all of her usual sarcasm.

She watched as Arnold, the smile dropping from his face at the sound of her voice, swallowed hard once more and then moved away from the shut door back over to within not too many inches of herself. He took a deep breath, and then closed his eyes and almost seemed to cringe in uncertainty as he asked finally, "Helga…would you…I mean…could we…kiss…again?" He hesitantly opened his eyes, almost as though he was waiting for her to blow-up at him at what he was suggesting.

Arnold had to blink several times and watch in curiosity, though, as the only reaction from Helga was that her jaw dropped. "_Excuse me_?" she finally asked in a slightly high-pitched voice, dripping with incredulity.

Arnold swallowed again nervously. '_She's going to hit me. And I don't think I could blame her, but still…I have to at least ask_…' "Can we kiss again, Helga?" he asked once more, his tone bespeaking just how awkward he was obviously still feeling about this whole thing. "I…well, I was kind of in shock the first time back at FTi so I didn't really have a chance to try and think about it while it was happening…and then my Grandpa kind of stopped…" he swallowed hard and glanced away for a second, "…whatever was about to happen between us back during our walk over here…" He glanced back at her still unblinking eyes. "And then I was asleep when you did it just now… And like I said, I think it's one of the most important things I have to think about before we talk about everything someday so…" He swallowed again and took a deep breath, still unbelieving the words coming out of his mouth but realizing deep down that it was the only thing he could think of to do to finally sort out this kissing thing once and for all…and whatever it might mean. "So…can we kiss again, Helga, so that I can just…have something to go on…when I think about it later?" He looked at her uneasily again. "If you don't want to do it, I understand…I…I know it's asking a lot…and I don't want to upset you or make things harder for you but I just…like I said I'm pretty confused by this whole thing and I just want to be able to sort it out in my head knowing everything I need to know, so—"

"You're asking me…to kiss you?" Helga suddenly asked very slowly, like she was just now fully processing his request.

Arnold paused at the interruption and blinked. "Huh?"

Helga, her face full of shock, blinked once herself and then repeated, still in a slow, uncertain voice, "You're asking me to kiss you? And…" Now this one definitely made her heartbeat quicken, "And you're saying that, on top of that, you'd kiss me back?"

Arnold felt himself blush at the way she'd phrased his request with her questions of confirmation. He couldn't help glancing down again, that nervous look still on his face, as he answered her. "Oh…well, um…yeah, Helga. I…I guess that's about what it would be…"

"Arnold…" she started, her voice sounding very strange…and then she stepped forward, her brow raised slightly, looking at his face closely, much to his surprise. "Arnold, really…my overprotective of you nature aside… _Did_ you hit your head or something when that bus crashed? I'm _serious_…are you okay?" And, indeed, Arnold had to blink at just how serious she looked and sounded. Helga continued. "I mean, because either you're really REALLY unwell or you're really REALLY just trying to get back at me for the ice cream kiss like I probably deserve…"

Arnold suddenly blinked and he cut her off, looking at her sincerely. "No, Helga, I…I mean it! I want you to kiss me! I wouldn't ask if I didn't mean it!" Arnold swallowed hard at how wide her eyes suddenly went at his little exclamation. He backed a step away from her to give them both some room, putting his hands behind his back and glancing down in distress. "I knew it was too much to ask, though…I'm sorry Helga, I—don't worry about it. I'll just go…"

He was about to turn around and leave, deciding despite his confusion to just work with what he had in terms of thinking about this whole 'Helga in love' thing later ('_Just because I'm confused doesn't mean she should do something that might upset her…Besides, I'm the one confused about his feelings, not her…I should just try and sort things out on my own_') when he felt a hand suddenly grab one of his shoulders.

His eyes going wide, Arnold turned around to see Helga standing before him, her eyes still a bit surprised looking, though with just a touch of desperation now present as well. "No! I…I mean…" she started, looking into his eyes, "As long as you…as long as you're okay and you really want to…then…" She swallowed. "Okay…"

Arnold took a second to absorb her affirmative response to his request, and then he blinked and fully turned to face her once more. "R-really?"

She swallowed nervously and nodded, removing her hand from his shoulder and putting it behind her back with its mate. "Uh, yeah…if you really think it'll help…"

Arnold nodded, feeling more than a bit nervous himself. "Yeah, I…I think it really could…"

The two of them just remained looking at each other for several more seconds.

Then Helga blinked and took a step back for a second. "Oh, um…we should probably try and wipe some of this ice cream off first though, heh, heh…" She reached down and grabbed some napkins for herself and for Arnold from the open box still on the floor.

Arnold blinked, taking the bunch from her. "Oh, uh, yeah…right…"

The two of them took a few seconds to clean their faces off as best they could.

When that little method of stalling from the inevitable awkward moment to come was done, there was a pile of used napkins on top of the small trash bin in the corner and the two of them were standing before each other again, arms behind their backs.

Helga took a breath, smiling weakly. "Okay, well, um…I…guess we're good to go, then, huh?" She looked at Arnold uneasily.

Arnold looked back at her with just as much uncertainty. "Uh, yeah…I…guess we are…"

The two of them just remained awkwardly glancing up at each other and then down at the floor in alternation, clearing their throats for good measure.

"So, um…" Arnold finally began shyly after a couple of seconds, setting his eyes upon Helga's and mustering up enough courage to not break from them, "Should…should _I _start or should _you_ start or…should we both just…?"

Helga swallowed, now looking into Arnold's eyes as well. Her voice was tinged with nervousness as she replied to his very good question, though she tried her best to make the words that came out of her mouth sound as casual as possible. "Well…I..I guess whatever floats your boat, Football Head…I mean, I'm not exactly an expert—I was just kind of going with the moment back on that roof…and then I was just kind of impulsively getting in one for the road before in here, heh, heh…" She rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry about that, by the way—told you I'm still a bit tired and not really thinking all that straight, and we were alone and I, uh…" She cleared her throat, realizing she was rambling and about something that would only make things between them even more awkward right now (if that was even possible). "But, anyway, um…I can start if it'd make you feel more comfortable…"

Arnold was silent for a second or two, and Helga was about to take that as a yes and move in to kiss him, when suddenly he spoke as though having just come to a decision in his head. "No…that's okay, Helga. I…I think somehow what I'm trying to figure out will work better if _I _start…" Arnold sighed mentally. '_This isn't going to work as well as it could if I just stand here and let her kiss me like before…I have to know what it's like for me to actually kiss her if I want to see how it really makes me feel_…'

Helga felt her heart begin to race at the idea of Arnold initiating a kiss with her. "Oh…okay…wh-whenever you're ready then, I guess…" And with a swallow she stood there, closing her eyes and puckering her lips just slightly, all the while feeling her heart pound a mile a minute.

Arnold took a couple of breaths to calm himself, and then puckered his own lips. He squinted as he leaned in closer to Helga Pataki, wanting to close his eyes just as she was doing but not wanting to miss her mouth. '_Okay, Arnold, you can do this… It's just one kiss with one girl just to make sure of something…_' He was trying to make himself less nervous but as his thoughts finished he could feel butterflies explode in his stomach again as the complicated truths behind these seemingly simple thoughts made surfaced in his mind. '_Yeah, just one kiss on the mouth with one girl who secretly loves you to make sure about whether you actually like kissing her or not so you can decide later about how you… what you…if you_…' He tried his best to put this last set of thoughts out of his mind, and then mustered the last of his courage and pushed forward the remaining distance between his lips and Helga's.

He felt his mouth meet hers, and though that vanilla flavor from before was gone her lips still tasted sweet from the lingering sugar from the ice cream they hadn't been able to wipe off entirely.

Arnold remained in this position initially, really unsure of what to do. For a second, all of the memories of what Helga had done to him while kissing him on the FTi building and all of the things he'd imagined between them during his dream and then finally that image of the pillow she'd been clinging to while imagining some kind of fantasy with him in her sleep that morning flashed through his mind, but he only felt his cheeks go hot at the idea of even _attempting_ something like any of those things.

Suddenly, though, Arnold felt first one of Helga's hands and then the other come up to gently hold his shoulders…and then he felt her begin to reciprocate the kiss, not nearly as insanely as she had on the roof of FTi, of course, but still there was definitely something there that he hadn't been feeling a second ago. She wasn't just letting his mouth touch her own anymore—she was now pressing her lips against his and moving her head to the side slightly...kissing him back. Arnold felt a strange feeling come over his stomach and his heart flutter at her sudden participation in the kiss... Two feelings not quite as intense as and yet _very_ similar to some of the feelings she'd kept giving when they'd kissed in his dream.

And then (and Arnold wasn't entirely sure _why_, especially since this was just supposed to be a kiss to 'see something' as opposed to an actual romantic one between two people) Arnold felt like he should do something 'more' as part of the kiss as well, like Helga was doing with holding his shoulders. Not really having a plan of action though, Arnold tried his best to just follow his instincts (his Grandpa might not have meant that advice that one time for how to handle things with Helga under these specific circumstances, but it was still a bit applicable). And then suddenly Arnold recalled at least one thing from his dream that hadn't been too awkward…and that she (at least, the dream Helga) had seemed to like… and that maybe the real Helga liked too considering how she'd been clinging to that pillow while having her dream about him…

Hesitantly, Arnold raised up one of his arms and put it slowly and gently around Helga's back, not really pulling her closer so much as just allowing it to rest there around her waist. Needless to say, he was a bit surprised when this simple act made her tense up considerably for a second, but then slowly melt even close against him all on her own.

Arnold did his best not to get too lost in the sudden feeling of Helga's weight against him again or how nervous this act was making him feel in general, and to just focus on the feelings it was making him have (the whole purpose of asking her to do this for him in the first place.) _'Okay so…we're kissing and I…I don't hate it…I mean I asked her to do it so I obviously can be okay with doing it. It's not like in that dream, though, of course…_' Arnold couldn't help but note to himself with relief. '_I mean…it…it's kind of nice…but I'm not laughing or sighing or smiling or_…' And yet Arnold couldn't help a slight nostalgia for all three of these actions briefly come over him as his thoughts drifted back to the very enthusiastic Helga Pataki from his dreams...and then to the realization that he had just admitted to himself that kissing Helga wasn't just okay…it was nice. Arnold did his best instantly to focus again on the moment at hand and nothing else. _'But still…does that dream mean that I really…wouldn't mind if she_…' he felt his heartbeat quicken, _'If she…kissed me now like she did on that rooftop_…?' And then Arnold felt one of Helga's hands suddenly slide just slightly up his neck to hold his head and touch his hair…and the strange feelings of his breath catching in his throat and his stomach twisting once more and his knees even going weak for an instant was surprise to him, to say the least…as well as was how close the intensity of this reaction was to the intensity of some of the things he'd thought he'd felt about Helga in his dream.

At this strange response from himself, Arnold felt Helga stiffen up for a second…and then her lips slowly pulled away from his own, though she still clung to him. Arnold blinked a couple of times and opened his eyes to see Helga's face very close to his own, looking down and to the side and blushing considerably…and he couldn't help the feeling of sadness that suddenly washed over him at how…how sad something in her face seemed. He had never seen her look like that…and there was almost guilt there, as well—like she'd done something wrong.

"Sorry, Arnold…" he heard her say very quietly, and he felt her hand descend from holding his head to holding his shoulder again. "I…I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…"

Arnold blinked as he suddenly realized that she looked so miserable all because of his sudden reaction to the movement of her hand…and because she was convinced that somehow that reaction had been a bad thing…though the pounding of Arnold's heart in his chest made him question that 'black and white' an assessment of the situation.

Helga, meanwhile, was just waiting for Arnold to accept her apology or to move out of her arms (he was still holding her behind the back so she couldn't break their embrace) or even to finally tell her off like she'd been half-expecting ever since she'd spilled the beans that morning (in fact, like she'd been half-expecting to happen her whole life if Arnold ever found out considering all of the years of torture she'd put him through.) However, to her surprise and slight discomfort he wasn't doing any of these things. He was just continuing to hold her close. Finally, Helga couldn't take the tension anymore, and she mustered up her courage and looked back up into his eyes hesitantly….

However, she'd chosen to do so just at the instant that Arnold, on instinct as he couldn't help wanting a closer look at the face of this melancholy Helga he had never seen before, pulled her just a bit closer using his arm that was still around her waist.

The result was that Helga's surprised eyes (surprised at the feeling of him pulling her closer) met Arnold's surprised eyes (surprised at his own actions as well as at having Helga Pataki's face go from being several inches away from his own and turned away to having their noses practically touching and her facing him directly once again).

Helga felt her breath catch in her throat as she got a sudden sense of déjà vous from another moment that day during which they'd been practically pressed against one another and suddenly unable to look away from each other's eyes. _'Almost like he…like we…like we both wanted to_…' She couldn't finish articulating the thought, Arnold's close eyes and lips and the feeling of his arm around her waist both being too distracting to allow her to continue.

'_She really loves me, doesn't she?' _was the only thought that came into Arnold's mind as his eyes finally met Helga's once again, only to see her looking at him with not only surprise but an obvious amount of uncertainty… And she just kept holding onto his shoulders…and he just kept holding her around her back. And then Arnold felt that feeling come over him again…that feeling like when they had been walking here and she'd pushed him against the wall to keep him from falling over that open manhole and had just stared into his eyes like she was doing now...that feeling like…like it wasn't just her…like _he_ actually wanted to…

And then as these respective thoughts finished passing simultaneously through the heads of Arnold and Helga, both kids felt themselves close their eyes, lean in the slight distance between their lips, and continue the kiss.

Instantly, upon making contact with Helga's mouth again, Arnold, to his curiosity, felt his heart pick up much more speed than it had when they'd first allowed their lips to meet as per his initial request…And he was also a little confused about why he'd suddenly let himself kiss Helga again even though he'd probably already bothered her enough with asking for the first one to help him figure things out. '_I guess I'm just…I'm just not used to having a girl like me like this…I mean, usually I always end up liking one of them, not the other way around_.' And then Arnold heard Helga moan slightly at the back of her throat similar to how she had done so on the FTi building when kissing him, and the hand that she had pulled away from his head and hair in guilt instantly returned there…and though the physical feelings both of these things happening made come over Arnold were just as intense as they had been before, he managed not to flinch, not wanting to hurt her feelings again... Besides, her touching him like that and making that strange sound actually felt kind of…well, however it felt, something about it made him feel warm inside. '_But…maybe_,' his thoughts from before continued, '_Maybe it's not so bad…having a girl like me for a change…and maybe it's not even so bad that it's her_…' Arnold actually did almost feel himself smile at this point (just like during the kiss in his dream) as he recalled the Helga Pataki he'd gotten to know today… '_She's actually really funny and nice and interesting when she's not trying to pretend like she hates me…and she really is just so warm_…' Almost subconsciously he felt his other arm wrap around her body as well…and a smile begin to pull even harder at the corners of his mouth. _'Just like in my dream_…'

And then Arnold, at the contact of his other arm with her body, felt Helga moan and sigh lightly through her nose and almost…shudder…and this reaction to his simple movement coupled with his sudden realization that he was indeed starting to like kissing this Helga almost as much as the one in his dream (and all of the potential implications and meanings and ideas that he knew he'd have to consider later because of this fact), caused his eyes to fly open and Arnold to break from the kiss with her, breathing heavily, though he still continued to cling close to her as she did to him.

He just looked at her and at the dazed look on her face, continuing to breathe as he was completely at a loss for words. "S-sorry, Helga…" he managed to get out in reference to the fact that he had just gone from having an arm around her waist to basically hugging her while he kissed her and the obvious effect this sudden change had had on the girl before him.

"Please, Arnold, _please_…" Helga suddenly began in a light voice, "_tell_ me this isn't some cruel, ice-cream-coma-induced dream I'm having…" She sighed in that airy way she had on FTi, all the while looking at him with her eyelids half down.

"Helga?" Arnold asked with concern, her strange tone and look bringing him back to reality and allowing him to find his voice. "Are you okay?"

"Hmm?" She just remained looking at him lovingly for another second before blinking a few times, her eyes and voice returning to normal. "Oh, uh, yeah, I'm…I'm fine. Uh…get everything you need, Football Head?" she tried her best to ask casually, though after just having kissed her beloved…TWICE ('_Where the heck did THAT come from, meanwhile?_!')…and now finding herself still held in his arms, it was a little hard for her to speak, let alone coherently, to say the least.

Arnold just swallowed at the question, recalling the purpose of the moment they had just shared. "Oh, uh, yeah…that….that should do it for thinking about it later, I guess…Thank you, Helga…"

"Uh…you're welcome…Happy to, uh…to help…" was all she could think to say, trying to keep the giddiness out of her voice. Finally, with a half smile that she couldn't help, she cleared her throat and glanced down nervously. "Uh, in that case…if you're done for the day…maybe…maybe we should let go of each other…" Helga took a deep breath in and then let it out, really trying to keep herself from losing it on him just like she'd done on the FTi building after they'd kissed. "I mean…I don't know if you remember from our little rooftop adventure before, Football Head, but…when you're this close to someone you 'hypothetically don't hate' after a kiss it can be a little hard to keep it together instead of trying to kiss them again." She swallowed and did her best to keep her blushing in check, though from the heat she could feel flooding her face Helga was fairly certain she was fighting a losing battle.

Arnold felt his stomach flip and he instantly released his arms from around Helga, thus freeing her up to remove her hands from his shoulders and his hair. He put his hands behind his back nervously. "Oh, right…sorry, Helga…I just…you put your hands on my shoulders and then I guess I felt like I should do something too so I just…

He watched as a still smiling Helga took a breath. "Hey Football Head, I wasn't complaining…just trying to keep myself focused here." She took a step back and cleared her throat, glancing at him shyly. "And, uh…speaking of other things that happened just now besides…you know…kissing…" She swallowed hard. "Thanks for not…for not freaking out when I kind of started to lose it a little and grabbed your head like that… It…it just kind of happened before I could think about it and I—"

"No, Helga, I…" Arnold cut her off, a look of almost worry on his face and an undeniable note of sincerity in his voice. He took a step back toward her and glanced down as he continued. "I shouldn't have flinched like that… I didn't mean to upset you. I was just a little surprised…I guess…"

Helga couldn't help her eyes going wide and raising her brow in scrutiny, not only at the fact that Arnold had arguably just admitted that he hadn't minded her touching his hair, but at what appeared to be a…a slight smile on his currently turned-down face as he concluded his apology. As the notion of him actually smiling about being romantically touched by her entered her head, though, Helga quickly closed her eyes and shook her head. '_Oh, yeah, he's just 'giddy as can be' about your continued efforts to maul him, Helga. Sheesh, his kisses are starting to even mess with what I'm seeing, aren't they? And the four hours of sleep I've had over the last two days probably isn't helping much either…and the fluorescent lighting in this room….and of course my own hyperactive imagination in general when it comes to Arnold_...'

"Helga?" Arnold had to raise an eyebrow at her suddenly closing her eyes and shaking her head like that. "What?"

Helga opened her eyes at the sound of him saying her name and blinked several times, recalling that she was still mid-conversation with Arnold. "Huh? Oh, uh…don't…don't worry about it, Football Head. You didn't 'upset' me—I just…I just got surprised that you got surprised and…" She cleared her throat, wanting to move away from the awkward topic of basically analyzing the kissing they'd just done. "Anyway…" Helga took a deep breath, crossed her arms over her chest, and did her best to smile and lighten her tone a bit to finally segue them both into getting out of here WITHOUT dying from embarrassment, "In need of anything else I can help with Arnoldo or are we good to resume our normal lives?"

Arnold blinked at the sudden question but then had to half smile at it and at how Helga, with her smile and the casual way she'd asked it, seemed to be trying to return to that playful relationship between them like they'd had that morning—the one that was somewhere in between going back to being enemies and just outright talking about her confession. He crossed his arms over his chest and did his best not to laugh in amusement as he replied, "No, I—I think two kisses is fine, Helga. Thanks…"

Though Helga had been trying her best to maintain her casual demeanor, she couldn't help the smile falling from her face and her eyes going just a bit wide again at Arnold's reminder that they had indeed technically (and unexpectedly) kissed twice just now. '_What the heck was that, anyway? I mean…he wanted one kiss and so we had one kiss and then I actually managed to stop it and he goes and pulls me closer and then kisses me again!?_' Helga then also recalled how he'd almost seem about to mutually kiss her back in the street on their way there. _'What is up with him today?! Did my confession really mess with him that much?! Maybe he thinks that if I'm going to kiss him he has to kiss me back or I'll sock him or someth_—'

Helga's thoughts were cut off (and her doubts about Arnold's sincerity about wanting to kiss her were simultaneously alleviated) by Arnold suddenly taking another step back toward her, smiling with one of his half lidded gazes. He cleared his throat and continued speaking. "And I…I hope the second time didn't bother you too much but…" He almost laughed, and then raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, would it sound weird if I said that starting again after you stopped to apologize just felt like…well, like the right thing to do?" He swallowed and glanced down. "I-I mean…I guess I just wanted to prove to you that it really didn't bother me that much when you moved your hand before...and kissing again just seemed like the best way to do that. And maybe that's also part of the reason I put my other arm around you…To show you that...well…that I could get caught up in the 'heat of the moment' too…" Very unsurely, considering some of the things he'd just admitted, Arnold glanced up…and had to do his best not to laugh at Helga Pataki's blushing face and wide eyes and frozen form before him. He couldn't help but just smile and sigh to himself at the sight. '_Well, as long as we're being honest about how we feel today…she at least deserved to know what I've figured out about how I feel about her confession and her kiss so far…or kisses, I guess…_' He did his best again not to laugh.

Finally, Helga swallowed and managed to reply in a quiet voice to everything he'd just said to her, "Oh…uh…th-thanks, Arnold…" Inside, her mind was racing. '_He…he actually might…might kind of like…kissing me…'_ Helga was doing her best to process the thought but it was so incredible to her she almost felt impelled to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. '_I don't know what's going on here but Arnold isn't the only one anymore who needs some serious alone time to think things out…I mean—and I'm pretty sure I've got the math right on this one—if a guy likes spending time with a girl and likes talking to a girl and likes kissing a girl…then it stands to reason that he maybe…that he…that he maybe_…' It was all too much for Helga to process right away, though, and regardless she was suddenly cut off by the sound of Arnold's voice addressing her once more and bringing her out of her thoughts and back to reality.

"Well," he took a step toward her, still smiling, "I guess we should get out of here now… I mean, your parents are probably looking for you and my Grandpa's probably expecting me back at the Boarding House pretty soon…"

Helga blinked a few times and finally felt herself regaining enough coherency to speak now and think about what Arnold's unusual and VERY unexpected behavior in terms of a lot of things that day might mean later. "Oh, uh…actually, Bob and Miriam had to cut out early." Helga jerked her thumb in the direction of the front of the building. "Cops gave Bob a call about ID-ing that Nick guy in a lineup and they needed them to get down to the station asap, so the two of them just paid the Slausen's people and left about half an hour ago…"

Arnold blinked at this information and a slight frown came to his face. And he couldn't help but feel something Phoebe had said earlier that morning suddenly resurface in his mind: 'No one deserves to feel unloved on their birthday.' And then an idea occurred to Arnold, and he quickly resumed his smile and moved forward the remaining few steps between himself and Helga so that he was standing directly in front of her once more again. "Oh…" he began casually, "Well, um…did you want me to walk you home, Helga? I mean, as long as we're both here and you don't have a ride?"

Helga felt a genuine smile come to her face and her mouth was instantly half way open to readily accept his offer…but then she couldn't help but blink and hesitate for just a second. '_We've already spent more time alone together today then we ever have in our entire lives…and even though there's definitely been some fringe benefits, things just keep finding ways to get suddenly more and more intense and awkward the longer we're together_.' She took a breath, trying to reason with the part of herself that was more than ready to go off with Arnold again and possibly get another kiss in before dinner. '_Okay, I've gotten four kisses this morning from Arnold. That means I've more than doubled my lifetime quota in a few measly hours, and by some miracle he STILL doesn't hate me for it! But if he walks me home and then I end up inviting him inside and then he ends up staying for dinner and then I walk with him back to his house and…it's all just going to be too much, isn't it? I think I really might actually be starting to get what he was saying before about needing some time…not just to think about things but to just…to get a break before one of us goes too far and then we can't pretend like things are back to normal until we're both ready to fully deal with my confession. And, besides, as for getting in another kiss…well, even though I'm not about to complain about all of the make out time I got with Arnold today, almost everything really was in the heat of the moment. But…but if I ever want there to be a chance that Arnold'll kiss me because he's thought about it and really wants to (and not just to help sort out the mess of insanity I heaped onto his life this morning with my confession) then…then I need to let him go and sort out how he feels about all of this first just like he keeps asking me to let him do…And if we ever kiss again at least he'll be able to make some kind of informed decision and I won't just be taking advantage of his shock and good nature and total exhaustion_.'

These thoughts finishing, Helga cleared her throat and finally addressed Arnold with a sincere smile, doing her best to let him know with her kind tone that she appreciated the offer even though she was turning it down. "Nah, don't bother, Arnoldo. I can make it home on my own." She almost laughed. "Besides, it's out of your way and, anyway—considering the fact that the party here and that whole Blockapalooza 2 breakfast thing are both done—there's gonna be a lot of people out on the streets and the last thing we need is anyone seeing us together and getting the wrong idea about us, right, head boy?" She gave him a playful nudge in the shoulder. '_Besides_,' she had to add to herself mentally, _'If I don't monologue or write some poetry or something as soon as possible I'm just plain going to pass out, and I shudder to think of the 'out loud' dream he'd get to hear from me if that happened, all things today considered_…'

As Helga finished speaking, Arnold couldn't help but blink and blush slightly at the suggestion of her statement. "Uh, right, Helga…" And then he managed to resume his former sincere smile and looked at her, putting is hands behind his back. "And you don't need a Football Head like me to do you any favors, just like always, right?" He winked back at her, enjoying how their former playful relationship that he had grown so fond of over the last few hours really did seem to be resuming once more.

Helga, in turn, blinked at his wink and smile, but then couldn't help but laugh slightly to herself. "You got it, Arnoldo!" She winked herself and then took a breath, walking over to the door and opening it for him. "Now that we've got all of this confession related stuff out of our systems we really can go back to things 'just like always.'" Arnold exited, just smiling at her, and she followed behind him, allowing the door to close behind them both. Still with a grin, Helga walked alongside Arnold as they made there way across the storage room. "And anyway after all of this honesty I _need_ some straight, defensive, secretive time or I'm going to have some kind of breakdown or something…" She shook her head and almost couldn't help laughing to herself.

Arnold chuckled slightly at her statement. "And I guess I should just go back to acting like I don't know any better…"

Helga sighed and looked forward, still smiling. "Yeah, that would be helpful…" she replied, a slight laugh under her voice as she spoke. She glanced at him. "Besides, it wouldn't be any fun to keep throwing spitballs at you and calling you names and squirting you with the water fountain if you suddenly acted more than okay with it instead of patient and yet at the same time just _slightly_ annoyed…" She held up one of her hands and pinched her index finger and thumb together to illustrate the penultimate word.

Arnold just rolled his eyes and felt himself laugh warmly at the comment…and Helga quickly joined him with one of her own light, happy laughs that he didn't get to hear too often…and that, he recalling having noted earlier that day, was actually really nice sounding.

After a few seconds, the laughter of both children subsided and both of them (or at least ONE of them) prepared to finally reach the door toward with they had been walking and to exit to the front of the ice cream parlor so that they could go their separate ways home, this interesting day finally coming to a close.

Suddenly, though, to her companion's surprise, Helga interrupted the silence with a question…a nervously asked question. "Hey…Arnold?"

Arnold blinked in surprise at the sound of her voice and then turned his head to glance at her. "Uh…yes, Helga?" he tried to ask as casually as possible, though the tone in her voice told him that whatever she was about to ask next was probably going to require at least one more moment of awkwardness between them before they parted company for good that day.

Helga just continued looking forward and down as she spoke, seeming a bit on edge to say the least...though it was understandable considering what she was about to ask her beloved about. "I was just wondering…if…I mean, before things go back to normal…if you'd be willing to fill me in on that, uh…dream you were having about me before… I-I mean," she swallowed hard, "We got to talk about mine about you on the way here, and on top of that I'm...well you have to admit, all things considered, it's natural for me to be a little curious…" She finally managed to glance at him out of the corner of her eye, a nervous half smile coming to her face as she finished. "So…any chance I get to find out why the heck you were smiling and saying my name in your sleep before, Football Head?"

Arnold had continued walking alongside her as she had spoken. However, as Helga had concluded her request, he had come to a dead stop and his eyes had gone considerably wide for a second...two reactions not lost on the nervous blond girl, who stopped as well as she awaited his reply. A few seconds passed and then, Helga noticed, with interest and curiosity, Arnold's eyes shifted down slightly and he seemed, in her opinion, to be seriously considering something for several seconds…and then she couldn't help but observe (to her continued confusion) a small half smile come to his face.

'_Well_,' Arnold sighed mentally, '_It is her birthday…and she did tell me the truth about her dream before_…_what could it hurt_?'

Suddenly, Arnold cleared his throat, put his arms behind his back and resumed walking in the direction of the door. Helga quickly followed alongside him, eagerly awaiting the next thing that would come out of his mouth. And then with a deep breath Arnold finally started speaking, all the time facing forward with a half smile on his face. "Well, isn't it obvious, Helga? I was dreaming that you'd finally decided to drop the act completely and just be open with me and everyone else about how sensitive and loving a person you really are instead of hiding it…" He sighed just a bit dramatically. "And then you had to wake me up by trying to secretly kiss me before, and ruin the whole thing…" He chuckled to himself. "You owe me for that, Helga!" he playfully scolded. "One of these days, I really _do_ expect for us to completely talk about things honestly again just like we sort of managed to do today, to make up for it." Having now reached the door to the front of Slausen's as he concluded his very Helga-esque explanation of his dream, Arnold just smiled and turned right on cue a few steps in front of the girl in question to see the much expected sight of her standing there frozen with her eyes wide and her jaw dropped and pink flooding her cheeks.

Arnold had to laugh slightly. He leaned back toward her with a smile. "Helga…you know, you really need to learn how to take a joke. I mean, for someone who's supposed to know me better than anyone else you're pretty easy for me to surprise and trick." He cleared his throat and glanced down, a half smile on his face. "About me dreaming that I actually maybe don't really want you to go back to pretending to hate me, I mean…" He sighed slightly and finished with just a touch of…regret(?)…in his voice, Helga couldn't help but note. "Even though that's what we both probably need for now…like we said…" Arnold then took a step back and raised up one of his arms, and proceeded to push open the kitchen door for Helga to exit.

Helga just blinked several times as Arnold's now concluded explanation about his dream finally sunk in…and suddenly she understood that he was copying how she'd spoken to him earlier that morning when he'd caught her in a bit of an awkward dreaming situation in an effort to be honest with her but still smooth over the awkward situation of him wanting to… '_Is he_…' suddenly, the full implications of this little strategy of her beloved's fully hit her as she briefly went through what he'd just said about his dream really quickly once more in her head, '_Does all that mean…is he actually looking forward to talking about this one day?! Like, seriously?! And would he really like if I started acting like I…like I…_' Once again, more thoughts Helga was having some issues processing right now. Realizing, though, with Arnold standing right there and the both of them about ready to collapse from exhaustion, that there just wasn't time to even start thinking out this part of Arnold's reaction to her confession, Helga just shook her head to clear it and focused her eyes on her beloved before her (who was still holding the door open for her). She quickly replied to his smiling face with a nervous laugh, "Oh, uh, yeah, heh, heh…Good one, Football Head…" before exiting out into the front room. She heard Arnold follow behind her and the door swing closed behind them. Now back in the main area of the ice cream parlor, Helga glanced around and noticed that thankfully Slausen's was empty at this point (leaving no witnesses, to her great relief, to see a smiling Arnold and Helga exiting the storage room together after several minutes of mysterious absence).

"I mean, really, Helga…" Arnold suddenly continued, suddenly moving past her with the smile still on his face and obviously still enjoying just a little the playful and ironic exchange they were having, "Me dreaming that you were open about your feelings and that I liked it…that sounds a bit more like the dream you were probably having when I first got you up to bring you here…" Now before her, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the counter, looking at her as he added the finishing touch. "Really, Helga, I'm just waiting for you to pick out the china pattern for the wedding." He chuckled to himself.

Helga felt herself blush considerably at this statement…after a second, though, she couldn't help the grin that came to her face or giving in to the desire to rolling her eyes at him for that matter. '_He wants to have fun with this, huh? Hmm…well, two can play at this teasing game_…' She went forward and gave her beloved a playful punch in the shoulder, smirking at him. "Oh, ha ha, Arnold." She crossed her arms over her chest, looking right into his still smiling face and doing her best to maintain as casual a demeanor as possible...which was hard considering the retort she had in mind, especially when she started counting off things on her fingers as she listed them as she spoke. "You know, it would serve you right if I responded to that little bit of teasing by suddenly rattling off the china pattern design, the venue, the color scheme, the caterer, the guest list, your vows, my vows, a list of possible honeymoon locations, the potential names of the ki-ki—_Oh, __Arnold_!" Helga couldn't handle it anymore—she'd pretty close to breaking about half way through but now she just had to burst into laughter at how quickly the smug smile had dropped from Arnold's face as her reply had continued and how just as quickly all of the color in his face had drained as well.

Doubled over in laughter, Helga managed to take a few breaths and straighten herself up, wiping tears of hilarity from her eyes. She walked around the counter to the other side. "_Calm down_, Football Head! Sheesh, don't pass out on me or anything…" she hesitated for just a second, but if there was one thing Helga G. Pataki had never been able to resist it was a joke, especially one that would get to Arnold. "I mean, you took a nap before and you woke up with a kiss…you go out cold on me (and in a suit, no less), though, and I wouldn't be doing my job if you didn't wake up half-standing next to me and being dragged down the nearest matrimonial aisle I could get on such short notice." And then with a laugh at the fact that Arnold still wasn't breaking from his shock to turn and face her, she suddenly reached over the counter and flicked one of his ears, causing him to blink and yelp in pain.

"Ow!" He scowled slightly and rubbed the ear, and then blinked a few times, finally coming out of his frozen state.

"Gotchya, again! Twice, actually…" Helga just chuckled to herself behind him, and then took a deep breath and let it out. "Oh, Football Head…don't get me wrong—that was a nice try, giving me a little taste of my own medicine." She shook her head. "But don't ever try and out talk Helga G. Pataki—you should know that after all these years, Arnold. You'll lose every time." Arnold, to her interest, finally turned around to face her at these words and as the soreness of his ear had worn off…and it took a lot for Helga to not burst into laughter again at how perfectly slightly ticked off he looked. '_Just like usual…_' He leaned forward on his arms across the counter toward her, giving her a bit of a look.

Helga just continued smiling at him, resting her head on one of her arms to lean a bit closer to him as well. "Aw, what's the matter, Arnoldo? Not liking that I'm not about to suddenly start going easy on you just because we're 'secret friends'?"

At this question, to her interest, she saw just a hint of a smile come to Arnold's face, as though he had been trying to suppress it but was coming very close to cracking. "No…" He leaned just a little bit closer toward her…and as he spoke the smile slowly broke across his face. "I…guess it was just frustrating me for a second trying to figure out how much of what you just said about the wedding stuff was true and how much was just to bug me…But I'm sure you'll tell me when you're ready, Helga." He winked at Helga and then chuckled to himself and proceeded to walk around the counter to join her on the other side.

Upon coming alongside Helga, Arnold crossed his arms over his chest and had to smile at sight of the girl before him. She was just standing there, blushing, and glancing down, looking quite distressed to say the least. She cleared her throat and laughed nervously. "Heh, heh…I, uh…I don't, uh…" She felt her heart pounding in her chest and it wasn't helping that Arnold was just standing there a few feet away, still smiling at her with that half lidded gaze of his...looking like no matter what she said, he would know exactly what parts were true and what parts were sarcasm and lies. '_Oh for the love of—great, not only does he have the ultimate one-up on me but now he knows it! Oh, I knew I was pushing this 'humorously delivered truth' thing too far with all that stuff about getting married—and now I'm turning into a puddle of mush right in front of him and…Oh crimeny, why is that smile of his so beautiful?!_' Helga sighed internally and did her best to keep at bay the dreamy smile that so desperately wanted to come to her face.

Meanwhile, seeing she was at a loss for words, to put it mildly, Arnold just sighed and smiled and took one of her hands, suddenly leading her in the direction of the door to outside. "I know, I know—you don't know what I'm talking about or where I got such a large ego from, but obviously you were kidding about the whole thing since you actually hate my guts…" He glanced back at her as they reached the door and he pushed it open. "Did I get everything right, Helga?" He half grinned at her.

Helga blinked a couple of times at suddenly being pulled by Arnold (who was holding her hand yet again) across the room, as well as at his playful question. "Oh, uh…" she took a couple of breaths to focus herself, "Y-yeah, I…" She cleared her throat and did her best to scoff, rolling her eyes. "I was just kidding and once again you were just reading _way_ too much into it, Football Head."

Arnold chuckled and exited the building, Helga following happily in tow. Finally out on the sidewalk in the late afternoon sun and feeling on good, steady terms once again, the two kids (still holding hands) just smiled at each other…

And smiled…

And smiled…

And smiled…?

And then Helga realized that her and Arnold had been just dazedly smiling at each other for quite a few seconds now…out on the street…where people they knew could potentially see them. And she was not in her best form right now for coming up with reasonable excuses on the spot about why she was doing anything with Arnold but insulting him or tossing spitballs at him or squirting him with a water fountain. And as for coming up with an excuse for why Arnold was doing anything but just patiently sighing at her bullying and walking away…well, she couldn't even come up with a plausible potential TRUTH about that one, let alone a _lie_…

Helga instantly cleared her throat and slipped her hand out of Arnold's, and then took a step back. The movement made Arnold blink and seemed to bring him back to reality and out of whatever daydream he had been having, much to Helga's relief. She half smiled at him. "Uh…heh, heh…well…it's been a pretty long day. I…think we can finally blow this pop stand now that we're done saving it along with everything else in this neighborhood…don't you think, Football Head?"

Arnold just swallowed, feeling a blush creep into his cheeks as it finally processed with him that he had been just standing there, holding Helga's hand and smiling at her for a WHILE. He cleared his throat and took a step back from her, shyly glancing in her direction with a nervous half smile. "Oh, uh…right, right. I…have to get back to the boarding house and you have to get home…heh, heh…"

Helga's smile became a bit more relieved looking at how willing he seemed to gently gloss over whatever little moment had just happened between them, just like she was trying to get him to do. "Yeah…" she laughed to herself and looked at Arnold, "and, hey, this time no more random, surprise-party induced wake-up calls, okay, Arnoldo? Not that I didn't appreciate the effort behind the first one today but if I don't get a full eight hours soon I might actually start getting a little 'irritable' and the last thing I need is anything marring my usual sunny and cheerful disposition."

That comment actually made Arnold relax a bit and laugh warmly, and Helga couldn't help the feeling of her heart fluttering at the sound.

She took a step forward, still smiling at him. "And like you said, your Grandpa's expecting you back at the boarding house…" She wagged her index finger in his face playfully, feigning a scowl. "And you'd better go straight home, Football Head!" She placed the tip of her finger on the end of his nose, causing his laughter to stop for a moment though the smile was still on his face at her action. "And don't think I won't be checking up on you to make sure you're getting plenty of rest, got it, Arnoldo?" She removed her finger and took a step back again, putting her hands behind her.

Arnold couldn't help just chuckling at the girl before him and at that caring nature that she was letting shine through her tough exterior again. He shrugged. "Whatever you say, Helga."

Helga just smiled a bit more and let out a satisfied sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ah, and on that note the normal balance between Arnold and Helga has been restored." She took another step back and lifted up one of her hands to give Arnold a quick wave goodbye. "Well, I guess I'll see you when I see you, then, Football Head—you know, during all of the usual pranks and gags and random jokes I'll be being sure to bombard you with come Monday morning." Her eyes lit up for a second. "Oh, and fair warning—next week is April Fools day so…well, I'm not going to give everything away but if you wore a helmet to school it probably wouldn't be a bad idea." She winked.

Arnold just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Sure, Helga. I…wouldn't have it any other way…for now." Arnold just couldn't help adding these last two words…because, despite how nervous the idea of openly talking about Helga's feelings and his own feelings one day seemed to make them both, he knew somehow, someway, that even though pretending things between him and Helga were as they had always been was probably going to work for a bit longer, it was undeniable that some things had already changed at least a little between them…and that eventually some things would be bound to change _a lot_ between them…

Meanwhile, Helga couldn't help swallowing at the last two words he'd said just tacked on to his reply, though she tried her best to maintain her casual attitude. "Uh, good…Arnold…" She blinked a couple of times and shook her head, and then tried to add in a much more Helga G. Pataki way of closing a conversation with Arnold. "I mean, glad to see you're accepting my imminent victory as Queen of Pranks, Football Head."

Arnold just smiled at her comment and began to turn away from her with the intention of just calling a simple 'Goodbye, Helga. I'll see you on Monday' over his shoulder before heading back to the boarding house for a very long nap. However, he stopped mid-movement at hearing the girl behind him suddenly clear her throat. "Um…Arnold…?"

Arnold turned back around to see her, to his surprise, suddenly quite close to him again. He raised an eyebrow at her and at how nervous she seemed. "Yes, Helga?"

She swallowed and half smiled, wringing her hands. "Um, well, I just wanted to…well, to say…" She took a breath. '_Okay, Helga, you can do this…you can do this…Besides, if you're being responsible about this whole thing and letting him off the hook for a little while just like he let you of the hook after the confession, you deserve a LITTLE something to tide you over until next time…if there is a next time…And he does deserve a little official recognition for how wonderful he's been today…And he obviously wouldn't exactly hate it, all things considered…_' She glanced at Arnold shyly. "I just wanted to say…thanks again for being a part of this whole surprise party thing for me, Arnold…and for being so cool about keeping me helping out with FTi a secret…and for just, well, for just being you…" She put her arms behind her back as she continued speaking. "And well…I know you just wanted to do it to sort out some stuff in that Football head of yours but I just also wanted you to know that…if you were still thinking about wanting to get me some kind of present for my birthday, well…Along with just how wonderful in general you've been about everything…" She swallowed again and took a deep breath, and then finished with a small, dreamy, smile, "That kiss was more than enough…"

And then, before Arnold even had time to react to this admission of how much she'd enjoyed not just kissing him but having him kiss her back, she suddenly leaned forward and gave him a quick, soft kiss on the cheek. And the feeling, much to Arnold's surprise…and interest…made his heart race and a warmth come to his face.

She pulled away shyly. "Well…bye, Arnold!" And with that Helga instantly turned around and raced down the street in the direction of her house.

Arnold just stood there in a bit of shock for a second or two, gently touching his face where she'd just kissed him. Suddenly, though, a small, amused smile came to his lips and he just shook his head and continued up the street in the direction of the boarding house. '_Well, whatever it is all of this stuff between us today means I'm feeling that I have to think about…I think I'm really glad that it's about her…She's_…' he couldn't help but touch the side of his face once again and smile just a bit more, 'S_he's just_…' And then he had to laugh at the only word that came to mind…the word she'd complained about back at her room when he'd brought it up and yet somehow seemed to have liked. '_She's really…interesting._..' And with that vague though on-the-right-track conclusion, Arnold continued walking and smiling to himself, putting the big confusing issues he knew he'd soon have to deal with to the back of his mind…and for now just letting himself enjoy the simple happiness that even that small kiss on the cheek from Helga Pataki had somehow brought him…

* * *

_Now playing in Helga G. Pataki's sleeping head: yet another Arnold-based fantasy! (Though Helga G. Pataki wasn't quite consciously aware of that fact at the moment...)_

"Deep Voice!!!"

"Huh?!" Helga instantly whipped around in fright, doing her best to still hide herself behind her trench coat and voice box. She cleared her throat and continued in a panicked voice, "Uh, don't come another step closer!!! Pay no attention to that man with the voice box!"

Arnold was just standing there in the waning rain, looking in her direction with wide eyes. He blinked…and then to her surprise he smiled…and began to approach her. "Who…who are you?" he asked in an almost dazed voice.

Helga felt her breath catch in her throat. "Uh…uh, no one in particular!" 'What the heck is he so happy about?!'

Arnold took another step toward her with that half lidded gaze smile on his face. "_Oh_…so it's a _game_…I have to figure out who you are, huh?" He chuckled to himself and then put a hand to his chin, still grinning. "Let's see…who do I know who's wonderful and creative and talented enough to make all of my dreams come true about saving the neighborhood?"

He began to approach Helga again, and she began to back up in turn, feeling like her heart was about to beat out of her chest. '_WHAT THE…?!?!_'

"Yes, who do I know who secretly pines for me just like I secretly pine for her?" He chuckled.

Arnold was closing in…and Helga was doing her best to get away. '_Oh boy.._.' she thought to herself, backing up farther still.

"Hmm…" Arnold put a hand to his chin and seemed to be considering something for a second, and then his eyes lit up. "And who do I know who wouldn't mind an excuse to stalk me for a few days?"

Helga was pretty sure she was about to join Big Bob as the second member of the Pataki family to have a heart attack. '_WHAT is he saying?!?! We are definitely off script here_!' Helga blinked. '_But wait, how can this be different from what's supposed to happen if it's happening right no_—' "OOF!!!" Her thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of one of her feet catching on a piece of wood from one of her stilts. She felt herself trip and fall to the floor, her eyes still locked onto Arnold's as she found her back pressed against a wall.

Arnold just let out a sigh, having finished his approach, and squatted down in front of her. "Helga…you…you're my Deep Voice…" He reached out and gently touched the side of her face, causing her to blush hotly. Her jaw dropped. She didn't make a sound.

Arnold pulled his hand back and laughed at her response to his touch. He just gazed at her dreamily. "Oh Helga…pretending to be on your Dad's side…acting like getting rich off the whole deal was everything to you when really…" He leaned in a bit closer to Helga's shocked, blushing face. He lowered his voice. "When really…you had the most wonderful reason of all for helping me, all along…"

Helga blinked several times and tried to catch her breath as she felt the words she felt she was supposed to say come out in whispers. "Uh…there…there wasn't any reason…"

Arnold, still smiling at her, just shook his wide head. "No, no… Guess again…"

"It…it was my civic duty? Heh, heh…" '_Why am I saying these things and why is he acting like he already knows the truth?!_"

Arnold did his best not to laugh again. "Uh-uh, Helga." He shook his head again. "Now, just say the next wrong one so we can get to the right one, okay?"

Helga's eyes went wider, if that was possible. She felt the words form in her mouth before she could think too much about the incredible sense of déjà vous she was having. "B-because I love a good…uh…mystery?"

Arnold let out a contented sigh. "There we go…" Suddenly, he grabbed one of Helga's hands and stood, pulling her up along with him. "Now, let's get to the fun part where you admit that you did it because you like me a little…" He brought the tip of one of his index fingers to her chin and gently tilted her face so that they were looking right into each other's eyes, causing her heart to flutter as he added, "Or…like me a lot…" Suddenly, before she could react to this strange statement, Arnold took her in his arms and suddenly leaned her back. He spoke dramatically. "Oh, Helga, who else to you think has been glancing at you with interest almost everyday at school, wishing you'd secretly spend the night just a little more often in my closet, loving those few precious times in our lives when I've gotten to fill the hours working on a school project with you or suddenly finding fate hurling the two of us together." His green eyes seemed to burn as he gazed into her blue ones. "Oh, I love you, Helga! I've always loved you! Ever since I first laid eyes on that beautiful pink ribbon of yours! And from that moment and every moment since I've secretly lived and breathed for you, dreamed of the moment I could realize my secret feeling and could grab you and kiss you and…Aw, come here, you crazy doll!" And he went to plant one right on her mouth!

However, rather than the sounds of a crazy, passionate kiss ensuing, a happy sigh courtesy of Helga merely followed Arnold's announcement. She watched in amusement as the Arnold before her blinked several times at suddenly finding his lips meeting the back of the palm of the hand Helga had placed between their mouths. Helga just smiled at him, still bent back and in his arms. "Hello, dream Arnold. It's nice to see you again. Considering this is a new fantasy, a little warning next time that I actually am asleep would be nice, by the way. You scared the heck out of me just now, you know!" She scolded in an amused voice.

She watched as Arnold's smile resumed. He removed his lips from the back of her hand and righted them both. He continued to hold Helga in his arms, though, as he spoke. "Sorry, Helga…" He raised up one of her hands and kissed the back of it. "But you're just so irresistible I thought we should get to the fun part of the dream right away…" He began to lean in for a kiss.

Helga, however, put her hands on Arnold's shoulders and stepped back, though the smile remained on her face. "No, no, no, my dearest." She giggled at him. "You know as well as I do that these dreams always manage to end the second I start kissing you, and, well…it's been a pretty long couple of days for me so..." She lifted up a finger and began to gently twirl a lock of his hair around it. "Why don't we just spend a little more time getting to know each other…really give this dream some time to work itself out and give me some time to at least pretend I'm with Arnold and that he realizes he loves me back…" She removed her finger from his hair, grinning at the grin on his face. "Then after a little while we can get to the kissing…okay?"

The Arnold before her just sighed dreamily. "Whatever you say, my dearest Helga…" He moved away from her, seemed to consider something for a moment, and then turned back to her. "Can I at least bring you off into the sunset, though, to kick off our quality time together?"

She laughed again. "I think that would be acceptable." She crossed her arms over her chest and asked playfully, "So, what'll it be this time—sailing off into the horizon in our own private yacht, flying there in our own private jet, or just the standard of you taking me in your arms and carrying me to our happily ever after?"

Dream Arnold shrugged. "Actually, I thought we'd go with something traditional and yet timeless if you don't mind…" Helga, still grinning at him, raised her brow in curiosity as Arnold suddenly turned around and whistled loudly in the direction of the door to the roof.

Instantly it swung open and a large, white stallion came clip-clopping out onto the roof.

With a smile, Arnold turned back to Helga and gestured to the animal. "Well, shall we ride off into the sunset then, my darling?"

Helga just continued to stare at the large white horse for another second in amazement, and then just shook her head in amusement. "I've gotta start writing half of these fantasy things I come up with down…" She sighed and turned her sights back to a still waiting Arnold. "Of course, Arnold." She was about to walk forward and happily join him, when she suddenly blinked as though recalling something. "Oh, uh—sorry, just one second…" She reached over with her right thumb and index finger and suddenly pinched her left arm very hard, squinting as she did so. However, no pain followed the action, and when Helga opened her eyes she was still on the roof of the FTi building near a horse and a smiling (though obviously intrigued) dream Arnold. "Huh? Nothing…" She shrugged and then smiled at Arnold. "Okay, we're good to go then, I guess." She approached the horse.

Arnold did his best not to laugh at her. "And may I ask what that was for, Helga?"

Helga smiled, stopping in front of him. "Well, you should probably already know since you're a figment of my subconscious, but I was just making absolutely sure this is a dream so that things I do here will have no consequences whatsoever in my actual life later on. New policy of mine, considering this morning—you understand."

Arnold rolled his eyes. "Yes, well, the real Arnold _does_ have a habit of showing up on rooftops on horseback, Helga…"

Helga put her hands on her hips. "Hey, you can't blame a girl for double checking. Besides, with how loopy the real world you has been acting, I half don't know what to expect anymore from the little twerp."

Arnold suddenly leaned closer to her, a lovesick look in his eyes. "You mean the little twerp who only needs the chance to see you as you truly are to know that he can't live without you, just like I know it?"

Even though she knew this was just a dream, Helga couldn't help but feel her heart starting to pound at how close Arnold suddenly was to her…and at his enthusiasm for his feelings for her. "Well, here's hoping, anyway, right?"

Suddenly, his arm was behind her back…and Helga felt herself shudder at how much it suddenly reminded her of how it actually felt to have Arnold holding her around the waist like that…just like back at Slausens…

Dream Arnold just looked into her eyes. "Oh, my dearest Helga…I know you want to resist until we've had more time together just in case it really does end this wonderful dream but…please do me the honor of at least one kiss right here, right now! In this familiar spot where you made me the happiest man in the world by confessing your love to me!"

And even though Helga was still reminding herself that this was all just a dream, and that after a weekend like the one she'd just had it would be nice to imagine getting a date out of Arnold before an inevitable kiss…something about experiencing Arnold putting his arm around her both in her mind and in real life was truly getting to her…and she knew she couldn't resist. "Oh Arnold…" she cooed, bringing her hands up to his shoulders with a sigh, "Just hold me…"

His smile grew and he gripped her just a bit more firmly. "You seem dizzy with love, my sweet—do you need to lie down?"

She giggled and whispered to him in a low voice. "Only if you'll go with me…" And then she allowed him to suddenly pull her in for a kiss! '_Okay, Helga, okay—just focus on keeping this going for as long as possible because after all of the crazy misadventures you've been on over the last two days, you've EARNED an uninterrupted Arnold dream! Besides, it's gotta be close to nighttime now, Bob and Miriam must still be down at that police station, everyone else is at their houses, and Arnold already did his good deed for the day of getting me down to that party… Perfect: there's no way anyone could come up with anything to wake me u—_'

_RING! RING!_

Helga felt a very frustrated sigh escape through her nose as the feeling of Arnold's lips underneath her own began to noticeably dissolve. '_All I can say is that when I open my eyes I'd better see that horse taking a call and Arnold just taking a few deep breaths to get ready for round two…'_

* * *

However, after a deep breath and opening her eyes, Helga only found herself met with her familiar white ceiling, and her familiar pink walls, and her familiar phone near her nightstand going off yet again.

_RING RING!_

With a frustrated growl and a scowl she sat up, turned to the phone and violently picked up the receiver. "Hello?" she asked with a definite edge to her voice.

"Oh, greetings, Helga," came Phoebe's timid voice from the other end of the line. "I'm glad you answered—the phone had rung several times already and I was starting to worry that perhaps you weren't home or had gone to sleep."

Helga let out a sigh and felt herself about to lose her temper. Suddenly, though, it washed over her that this was indeed her best friend calling…the same best friend who had basically thrown her a birthday party this afternoon, and possibly the only person in the whole city who had remembered on her own that it was indeed Helga G. Pataki's tenth birthday that day. Taking these facts into account, Helga took a deep breath, allowed a slight smile to come to her face, and then did her best to talk to Phoebe calmly. "Hey, Pheebs. Actually, I was just getting in a nap but—"

"Oh!" Phoebe exclaimed in surprise. "I'm sorry, Helga, I-I almost forgot how long you've been awake for and how exhausted you must be after assisting Arnold all of these days and then having your birthday party."

Helga's smile grew a bit and she spoke to her best friend in a reassuring voice. "No, don't worry about it, Pheebs. Oh and hey, speaking of crazy 'save the neighborhood' shenanigans, thanks for covering for me with my parents this weekend and saying I was staying over at your place. I appreciate it."

The distress was gone from Phoebe's voice as she replied, "Oh, of course, Helga. I was happy to assist." A touch of the worry came back. "But are you certain you wouldn't like me to call back later or for us to just talk during school on Monday? I don't want to disrupt you, Helga."

Helga had to laugh slightly. "Hey, seriously, Phoebe, it's okay! And I didn't mean to sound so irritable when I answered the phone…I was just in the middle of a good dream…" For an instant, Helga felt herself getting lost in the memory of her latest personal fantasy with Arnold…

She was brought away from this potential thought tangent by the sound of her best friend laughing on the other end of the line. "Yes, well…I suppose all of the 'ice cream' today would tire you out a bit and give you good dreams, Helga…"

It took Helga a second to process what about the sentence made her heart pound just slightly…and then her eyes went wide as the last dregs of sleep left her and she realized the potential double meaning of Phoebe's words. Helga swallowed and did her best to maintain a casual voice as she replied weakly, "Uh…y-yeah…t-too much sugar, I guess…Heh, heh…"

Helga just heard her best friend take a breath to cease her laughing. "Mmm hmm…too much sugar…"

Something about the potential implications of this sentence also made Helga's heart pick up speed.

Phoebe just continued speaking, an all-knowing tone all the while underlying her words. "Well, anyway, Helga, I just wanted to call you since I didn't get the chance to talk to you after the party…" She paused, and then added carefully, "You…disappeared quite suddenly, you know…you _and_ Arnold."

Helga swallowed. "Oh, uh…really?" She cleared her throat and did her best to ask casually, "Did, uh…did anyone else, you know, _mention_ that to you, Pheebs, or was me and Football Head accidentally not being around at the same time just something that you happened to notice on your own?"

Helga heard Phoebe laugh slightly once again. "Don't worry, Helga. I don't believe any of our classmates noticed that you and Arnold happened to be gone at the same time. Well, except for Gerald, of course, but he was with Arnold when he ran back into the storage area…" Phoebe hesitated again, and then added slowly, "You happened to be in the storage area too, right, Helga?"

Helga could feel a blush rising to her cheeks. Not that talking to Phoebe about Arnold was so bad (she'd done it before, in code like this), but a lot of pretty intimate things had happened that day and Helga still hadn't had the chance to process most of them yet herself, let alone the chance to find the capacity to share them with someone else. She cleared her throat and responded to her best friend with the best answer to her question that she could come up with. "Oh, uh, well…yeah, we, uh…we might have ran into each other…" Helga swallowed and tugged at her collar, suddenly feeling a bit warm as the other parts of that little encounter began to wash over her mind. She did her best to put them aside for now, though, and to focus on the conversation at hand. "Uh…so, just you and tall hair boy noticed, huh? Uh, good…good. I mean…" She tried her best to muster up some of the old sarcasm. "I don't want anyone thinking Arnold and I are friends now or anything just because we shared one stupid walk to an ice cream parlor together." Helga cleared her throat and again and decided to do her best to move the conversation along before Phoebe could make anymore observations about 'ice cream.' "Uh…so anyway, why did you call again, Phoebe? I mean, what were you looking for me to tell me back at Slausens?"

"Oh!" Phoebe suddenly exclaimed as Helga's words brought her back to the purpose of her call at last. "Yes, of course, Helga! Well, I…actually, I just wanted the chance to wish you a happy birthday again…"

Helga blinked and then a large smile came to her face. "Thanks, Phoebe! Oh and, hey, uh…thanks again for putting together that party for me this afternoon." Helga had to laugh to herself as she recalled some of the memories of eating ice cream with her classmates. "…And thanks for even managing to rope tall hair boy and my parents and Football Head into things…I…" She let out a breath. "I really appreciate it.

"Of course, Helga…" came Phoebe's happy voice through the receiver. "I was happy to participate!" And then Helga heard a second of silence…and then Phoebe cleared her throat and continued speaking. "But, actually, that's another reason I wanted to talk to you. You see, Helga, I know Arnold informed everyone when you reached Slausens that the party was primarily my idea, but to be honest that was just a public explanation he asked me to go along with. In fact…" Phoebe's voice actually sounded like she was smiling, Helga couldn't help but notice, "In fact, doing the party was entirely something he thought up in the first place. He just had me bring everyone to the ice cream parlor while he went and got you. And I believe he's actually the one who talked to your parents about coming as well."

There were several seconds of silence.

"Helga?" came Phoebe's curious voice over the phone at not hearing a response from her best friend to the message she had just delivered to her.

Finally Helga, who had found herself standing up in surprise with her eyes wide and a blush upon her face at Phoebe's revelation, swallowed and finally managed to half speak, half whisper into the phone, "He…he really did all of that…for me?"

At the sound of her friend's question, Phoebe was silent for a second but then her normal happy voice returned. "Yes, Helga. All for you."

Helga couldn't help but be silent for another second or two as all of this information slowly sunk in. Finally, she opened her mouth again, her voice slowly starting to return. "But…but why? And…and why didn't he say anything?"

Phoebe was silent for a second or two, but then spoke. "Well…from what he told me before he sent me to get everything set up…I believe it seemed to him that you would be more comfortable with people thinking that_ I_ threw you a birthday party than _him_….almost as though he was trying to bring attention away from the two of you…or keeping a secret perhaps." Phoebe paused and then continued. "And as for why he felt compelled to handle the situation in this strangely specific way when Arnold is usually very open about helping others…well, I was hoping _you_ could tell _me_..." Phoebe was silent for another second…but then finally just took the plunge. "Did something happen today with you and 'ice cream,' Helga…?"

Helga's mouth was hanging open but only silence came from her end of the line as she was at a loss for words, not only due to the surprising insightfulness of her friend but at the flash of a memory of just how many things had indeed happened today between herself and ice cream…

"Helga?" Phoebe's concerned voice again at the continued silence from her best friend's line.

Helga cleared her throat and did her best to scrape together a joke as her response, not quite ready just now to talk about herself and Arnold and everything that had indeed happened between them over the last few hours. "Heh, heh…well of course things happened with me and ice cream today, Phoebe—I mean, hello, we just spent a good half an hour eating ice cream nonstop! Heck, I think _we all_ had some stuff going on with ice cream back at Slausens today actually, heh, heh…"

"Helga…" Helga knew that tone—Phoebe had her pegged, not only about the fact that she had feelings for Arnold (which, somehow or other, Phoebe had always seemed to know) but about the fact that something big had obviously happened that day that Helga probably needed to talk about.

Helga considered for a second more, and then finally just sighed in defeat. She flopped back onto her bed, bringing the phone receiver with her. "Okay, okay…you're right, as usual, okay, Pheebs? My, uh…" Helga had to swallow as she carefully chose her words. "My most intimate guarded secret might not be such a secret anymore, if you know what I mean…"

The other end of the line was silent for a second, and then Phoebe responded to her best friend's admission in a supportive yet curious voice. "I see… And…is everything okay, Helga?"

Helga let out a sigh and turned onto her back, gazing up at her ceiling. "I…guess it is…"

"Helga?" Phoebe's voice had taken on a tone of obvious confusion at Helga's strange and cryptic response to her inquiry.

Helga stretched back and then did her best to put into words the situation she and Arnold had left on without getting into too much lip-locking detail. "I mean…well, we decided that we both need a little time to think about things so for now it might be better to just act like nothing's different…" Helga hesitated, and then added slowly as she considered the many distinct and interesting interactions she and Arnold had had that day, "But…even though we _said_ that was best…I've gotta tell you, Pheebs, he was acting pretty weird this whole afternoon, and if it keeps up I don't think pretending like nothing's different between us is going to last very long..."

"I…take it he's a little…" Phoebe took a moment to choose her words, "…uncomfortable…with suddenly realizing the situation?"

Helga let out a breath. "Actually…" she couldn't help a small smile starting to come to her face, "That's what's weird. It's kind of like he's…really okay with it…"

"Really?!" came Phoebe's surprised and yet intrigued exclamation.

Helga almost laughed. "Yeah, he…I don't know…like I said, the little shrimp said he needs to 'think about things'…" Helga scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Whatever that means…." She laughed to herself again. "Anyway, and then he was almost kind of joking about it and trying to help me feel better about everything a little. And _then_, out of nowhere, he—" Suddenly, Helga realized that the next few big things Arnold had done that were unexpected in response to her confession might have been a bit too much for her to go into at the moment. She stopped herself and cleared her throat. "Well anyway, I told him to do whatever he had to do. But…I've gotta tell you, Phoebe…" Helga couldn't help a touch of concern coming into her voice as she recalled again just how strange some of Arnold's behavior had been that afternoon, especially towards the end there, "I'm starting to worry that I might have done something to him dropping a bomb like that...you know, on top of all the stress he was under with the FTi thing…"

"Hmm…" Phoebe began curiously, "What makes you say that, Helga? I thought you said he seemed fine with everything."

Helga felt a blush creep into her cheeks. "Oh! Uh, well…nothing, nothing…just a…a gut feeling, that's all. Heh, heh…" She swallowed. "Let's just say that when I say he was okay with things I mean he was really REALLY okay with things…"

"Hmm…" Phoebe sounded like she was considering Helga's words, and Helga hoped it wasn't too obvious from the way she'd phrased her response just how awkward things had gotten with Arnold that afternoon. "Well…" Phoebe finally spoke again, the pleasant tone returning to her voice, "That's good then, isn't it, Helga?"

Helga breathed a sigh of relief. "Uh, yeah, it was…great…" Helga couldn't help a dreamy smile coming to her face. '..._And wonderful, and incredible, and unimaginable…and the most perfect day of my life, actually_…' she added mentally. Helga suddenly realized that she was getting lost in her daydreams, though, and she quickly cleared her throat and returned to the conversation with her best friend. "Anyway, uh…sorry I missed you at the end of the party there, Phoebe. Did you get home okay and everything?"

"Oh…" Helga couldn't help but raise her brow slightly at the seeming tinge of…nervousness, was it…in Phoebe's voice. "Um, yes, Helga. I managed to find a way back to my house rather easily…" She cleared her throat. "Actually…after Arnold left to talk with you, Gerald offered me a ride home."

Helga couldn't help but blink and sit up slightly in her bed at this new piece of information. "Really? Gerald? Well…that was nice of him…" she couldn't help but reply in a puzzled tone. "I didn't know you two were that good of friends."

She heard Phoebe swallow on the other line, and that touch of nervousness was still present in her voice. "Oh…well, uh…we spend time together every once in a while, I suppose… And then with me being your best friend and him being Arnold's we've…we've come to know each other well enough, I guess…"

Helga just sat there, propped up on her elbows, half her brow still raised in curiosity as she processed how flustered her best friend was sounding right now. In fact, it almost reminded her of…well… '_Heck, she almost reminds me of me when I talk about Arno—_'

And then Helga made the connection…and she couldn't help a half smile coming to her face. '_I am completely blind, aren't I_?'

"Phoebe…" she chose her words very carefully, a smile starting to come to her face, "Do you, uh…have your own flavor of ice cream?"

"Huh?!"

Helga had never heard Phoebe's voice sound so high-pitched, and she had to pull the phone away from her ear for a second with a smirk before pulling it back and managing to speak again. "Phoebe…" she began in a tone that made it more than obvious that she had already figured everything out, so they might as well just lay it all on the table.

She heard Phoebe clear her throat. "Well I…" Phoebe swallowed and there was a second or two of silence. "Oh dear, is it that close to 5 already? I'm…I'm afraid I have to help my mother prepare dinner, Helga. I'll see you on Monday!"

Helga couldn't help but burst into laughter at Phoebe's desperate, flimsy excuse to get out of this conversation and hide her feelings. "Okay, okay, I can take a hint—you don't want to talk about it. I'll let you go, Pheebs—I want to get back to sleep anyway. Like I said, that dream of mine was just getting good." She laid back completely on her bed, gazing at the ceiling again with a smile on her face. "And thanks again about the party, Phoebe…and for letting me know about it being Arnold's idea."

Helga heard her best friend swallow nervously, though a touch of calmness seemed returned to her voice as she replied simply, "O-of course, Helga…" She cleared her throat and then quickly added, recalling at the mention of Arnold having wanted to address one last topic on this phone call with Helga. "And Helga?"

Helga yawned and stretched. "Yeah, Pheebs?"

"You know…" Phoebe lowered her voice, and the shift in volume wasn't lost on Helga, who listened intently to whatever important thing she might have to say next. "Gerald had an interesting observation on the car ride to my house…I convinced him otherwise, of course, but…be seemed quite convinced for a moment that…there was something going on between you and Arnold…."

Helga blinked, not really seeing where Phoebe was going with this. "Yeah…well…honestly, I'm not surprised, Pheebs. I mean, after that little disappearing act of Arnold's to see me again, tall hair boy was bound to realize we had something we needed to talk about."

She heard Phoebe take a breath. "No, Helga…I mean…" Phoebe spoke a bit more emphatically this time, "He was convinced that there was SOMETHING GOING ON between you and Arnold. Something…mutual…and…romantic…"

Silence. Helga was now sitting completely upright again, her eyes wide and her heart pounding. '_But…but if Gerald thought for a second that Arnold…that Arnold_…' Helga couldn't articulate the thought, it seemed so implausible. '_But, if he thought that then…then maybe all of that stuff today and the way he was acting…maybe it wasn't just me imagining things and him feeling confused and tired…maybe there's a chance that he…_'

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Phoebe clearing her throat once again. She resumed her normal calm tone of voice as she spoke. "Like I said, Helga, I convinced Gerald that he was just imaging things and he seemed satisfied with my explanation, but…Helga…if you don't mind my asking…just how 'really REALLY okay with everything' was Arnold? And…how exactly did you tell him the truth in a way that he seems to like knowing about it?"

Helga did her best to take in a breath so she could even begin to try and answer these two excellent questions of her best friend. "He…I…" And yet, she was genuinely at a loss for words to adequately express her situation, her mind still far more preoccupied with this new information that it had seemed to someone who wasn't herself that Arnold was at least on a subconscious level considering the concept of a romantic relationship with Helga G. Pataki…and all of the potential implications of that situation.

Phoebe, meanwhile, upon not receiving any further reply to her questions other then Helga's initial stuttered word or two, took a breath and tried again. "Perhaps I should ask the question differently." Phoebe took a breath. "Did you have any of Arnold's ice cream today, Helga?"

Helga felt heat flood her face. "_Ph-Phoebe_!"

"Helga…" came Phoebe's patient voice through the receiver, her tone more than subtly hinting to her best friend that there was little point in her avoiding the obvious truth of the matter, all things considered.

Helga swallowed at the address. "I…well, I…I…" But then, finally, Helga couldn't help but give in to the dreamy smile working it's hardest to come to her face as the memory of kissing Arnold…of actually, physically, in REAL LIFE kissing Arnold like she had managed to do several times that day…resurfaced in her mind. She let out a contented sigh. '_Aw, what the heck—I'm dying to shout it from the rooftops as it is! Might as well go for the closest thing I'll ever actually get and subtly imply it to my best friend using a thinly veiled metaphor…_' She almost laughed to herself as the idea couldn't help but make her recall quite a bit of the nature of most of her and Arnold's talks that day. "Well…" Helga started, smiling to herself, "Why don't we say we might have…mixed a little bit of his chocolate ripple with the vanilla from my cake…just to try it…"

She heard Phoebe laugh at the admission. "Mmm hmm… And…do you think Arnold…enjoyed your vanilla, Helga?"

Helga felt her blush strengthen and her smile grow. "I…I didn't ask him but…" She couldn't believe how bold she was about to be, but yet, honestly, Helga almost felt like she had to say it out loud to even believe it was true herself. "But, he…didn't seem to opposed to going back for, uh…seconds."

"Oh!" came Phoebe's voice in surprise and delight over the phone line. And for a second she couldn't contain herself. "Helga, you and Arnold kissed multiple ti—"

"Phoebe!" Helga quickly cut her off, clearing her throat and trying to get her blushing under control. "Uh, listen, I…you're my best friend and I trust you but…can we stick with the ice cream metaphor. I just…don't think I'm ready to go into real details yet. Especially right now…." And Helga felt another yawn courtesy of her long weekend overtake her.

Phoebe just laughed to herself at the almost expected request. "Of course, Helga. You sound tired though, so perhaps I should let you get back to sleep and we can discuss things more another day. Oh, and I'm sorry again I disturbed your nap…and your dream." He voice lowered slightly. "Another…private ice cream party?"

Helga scoffed, not getting Phoebe's intended meaning for a second. "Oh please, Phoebe, I don't want to see another ice cream scooper or toppings bar for a whi—PHOEBE!" Helga's eyes had flown open wide as she'd suddenly realized just what her best friend had been getting at…and at how accurate she'd been.

Phoebe just laughed. "I'm sorry, Helga…I'll leave you to your rest now, and see you at school."

Helga just let out a sigh, trying to get her pounding heart under control. " Uh, yeah, right, okay—school on Monday." She smiled just a bit mischievously and couldn't help but add, considering everything Phoebe had just put her through, "Wanna walk together or are you already getting another ride from tall hair boy?"

She heard Phoebe nervously clear her throat again. "Uh…Helga, I really do have to go assist my mother in the kitch—"

Helga couldn't help cutting Phoebe off with a sudden burst of laughter. "Kidding, kidding, Phoebe." She let out a breath and then added sincerely into the receiver, "Goodnight, Pheebs."

She heard Phoebe let out a large sigh, obviously happy that Helga was dropping the Gerald thing. "Goodnight, Helga."

Helga was about to move the receiver away from her face when she blinked and recalled one last aspect of their phone call that needed to happen before they hung up. "Oh and, Phoebe?"

Phoebe just sighed slightly to herself once again and it seemed like a touch of laughter was underlying her voice as she replied to Helga's address, "This conversation never happened, Helga?"

Helga smiled. "You got it."

Phoebe giggled. "Forgetting!"

Helga had to laugh at the familiar reply. "See you, Pheebs." And with that she finally hung up.

Laying back down in her bed and pulling the blankets over her body, Helga couldn't help but smile as she closed her eyes and let her thoughts drift back to Arnold and the interesting day they'd had together…and what some of it seemed to suggest in light of some of the interesting information Phoebe had just shared with her. '_Well, he not only likes me but he doesn't seem to mind that I love him even if the little shrimp doesn't quite realize it yet… So I guess I'm finally more than half way there, huh_?' She couldn't help but giggle to herself. '_All in all, not bad for my first day of being ten_.'

Feeling a bit nostalgic for certain events from her birthday party for a moment, Helga quickly pressed together her lips…the only part of her face she hadn't washed off upon getting home…and allowed her tongue to run across them for just a second. And as she began to drift off to sleep, still tasting a faint bit of that vanilla mixed with chocolate, she couldn't help sighing girlishly and her smile growing just a little bit more…and the name of her beloved quickly escaping her in a whisper. "Arnold…"

The sound of his name made her giggle again, and she couldn't help but recall with happiness just how wonderfully well everything that day (and everything from the last several days, in fact) had managed to work out. '_I've gotta get involved in more crazy schemes with you, Football Head…_' she couldn't help but think to herself in amusement. '_I mean, if we're counting that last little lip-lock as two then I technically got four whole kisses out of this little escapade…' She chuckled to herself. 'Heck, maybe if I play my cards right I could even get a date out of our next nutty adventure…'_

And with these thoughts Helga Pataki soon drifted back off to sleep, her next dream (to her initial disappointment but then quick delight) ending up being not one of her old Arnold fantasies or even a new Arnold fantasy…but the quite simply and wonderfully several dreamt memories of the actual kisses she and Arnold had shared that day in real life…

* * *

**A/N:**

Okay, that's all for now! I'll try and update asap!!!

Happy Reading!!!

~Azure129 aka Jenna

AXH FOREVER!!!


	6. Epilogue: A Perfect April Fool's Day

**A/N:**

If you read this within the first few hours of it being posted, please scroll towards the end because at the last minute I ended up adding about 1500 words to the end--just a random idea I got after I posted the fic, lol ;) Sorry, about the inconvenience, but if you already read then I hope you like what I've added and if you haven't read yet then no worries about anything I'm saying in this A/N, lol!

**Old A/N:**

So, I know that I said this would be up like forever ago, but then I got distracted with school and with my TA sequel (Learning to be Helga, guys—five chapters long and going strong, lol!) but I had some free time and I felt like I needed a little break from editing LTBH, and then I remembered this Epilogue and how I really liked what it does for the story, so, submitted for your approval, here's the real ending to "A Perfect Ten" :) I hope you guys enjoy it! Please read and review and give me a reason to continue to plow on with my HA! fanatic-ness!

**A PERFECT TEN**

**Epilogue:**

**A Perfect April Fool's Day…**

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**

"I knew something like this was going to happen…"

The football headed speaker of these words (and the near laugh that accompanied them) sighed as he concluded his observation to himself. He then glanced down into the shimmering aqua waters of the pool over which he was currently swinging his feet as he sat in the now empty gym of PS 118, still littered with the remains of decorations for the April Fools Dance that had just ended not too long ago.

"Of course you knew something like this was going to happen, Football Head…" began a familiar voice coming from behind him that instantly made Arnold sit up a little straighter and smile just a bit more. This second speaker continued as she sat down next to him, likewise allowing her legs to hang over the edge of the floor and dangle just above the pool water's surface. "You and tall hair boy were the ones who came up with the brilliant plan of opening the pool in the middle of the dance just to get back at me for my, _if I do say so myself,_ awesome prank of turning you into my personal slave…" He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and saw she was just looking at him and smiling. "I don't see how you _couldn't_ have known that it would lead to the whole dance getting flooded out, paste for brains."

"Hi, Helga…" Arnold said quietly. He laughed and turned his eyes back to just gazing into the pool waters below. "Actually, I was talking about our whole prank war in general…" He sighed, the smile still on his face. "I thought last week when we decided to just have things go back to normal between us that it wouldn't be able to last for _too_ long without something happening…but…" he laughed to himself again and raised an eyebrow at her, looking back in her direction, "I thought we'd at least be able to make it more than a _week,_ though."

Helga scoffed at the comment and rolled her eyes. "_Please_—I was shocked and amazed when it all didn't collapse the second we saw each other Monday morning, all things considered…" She gave him a playful punch in the shoulder. "You're not half bad at keeping a secret, by the way, Arnoldo."

Arnold laughed again, rubbing the shoulder she had just nudged slightly. "Thanks, Helga."

"Eh, don't mention it…" She smiled. "I just hope this isn't a sign of things to come, though, or we'll end up blowing up this school just as much as Sheck would have if he'd gotten his way…"

Arnold laughed. "Yeah…" He let out a sigh. "We should probably prepare for things like this to keep happening…at least, until we talk about everything…" He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye once more, though this time around with an obvious touch of nervousness.

He noticed Helga blush slightly and swallow hard in response to the awkward topic he'd suddenly brought up. She proceeded to smile nervously as she spoke, glancing back toward the pool waters. "Well, I don't know about _you_ but since _I'm_ probably going to need to avoid _that_ conversation like the plague for a little while longer…a few little moments of chaos between us to blow off steam until the 'big talk' are fine with me if they're fine with you..." She chuckled warmly. "I mean, as long as I still get to drive you nuts as the queen of pranks, I'm basically good." She glanced back at him again and winked.

Arnold laughed warmly and turned to look at her again as well. "Hey, if _you're_ the queen of pranks, how come _I'm_ the one staring at you in a wet dress courtesy of that last topper me and Gerald pulled?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

Helga crossed her arms over her chest and scoffed once more, an amused smile forming on her face. "Hey, the night's still young for pranks, Head Boy, and let's not forget that _I'm_ also staring at _you_ in a wet suit courtesy of the fact that I was able to pull you into this old pool right along with me since your chivalry has always outweighed your common sense, Football Head."

Helga and Arnold shared a small laugh at these memories of their evening together. Finally, Arnold stood and then offered a hand to Helga to help her up much like he'd done mere minutes ago when she'd asked innocently enough for assistance out of the pool only to prank him that one last time, or like all those times over the years when they'd crashed into each other coming around corners or walking down the street and he'd always wanted to be a gentleman and help her up. Without her usual resistance to his efforts (much to Arnold's interest and happiness), Helga took the palm of his extended arm in her own and was quickly standing beside him, wringing out her pigtails just a little bit more and still grinning quite a bit in his direction.

Arnold just smiled at her with his half lidded gaze. "Well, in the interest of _not_ blowing up the school…at least not before our last day of fourth grade next month…maybe we should head home before either one of us gets another bright prank idea." He winked.

Helga couldn't help but feel herself blush slightly at the look in his eyes and then that wink, and she swallowed and put her hands behind her back before replying with an unintentionally nervous stutter to her voice, "Oh, uh…yeah…you're…you're probably right…"

Arnold, trying his best not to laugh at how flustered she suddenly seemed (and all because of him), began to head in the direction of the gym exit, but paused as he realized that Helga wasn't following alongside him. He turned his head to look back near the pool. "Helga? Are you coming?" And then he had to raise an eyebrow along with this question at the sight his eyes suddenly fell upon: Helga was just standing there, eyeing the pool with a hand to her chin like she was thinking of something…or plotting something. He did his best to hide the half smile starting to form on his face. '_I almost wouldn't put throwing in just one more prank tonight past her…_'

The sound of Arnold saying her name finally processed with Helga after a second or two and caused her to suddenly blink and then turn to look at him on surprise. "Huh? Oh, uh…yeah, yeah, I'm coming, Football Head."

Then Arnold watched in curiosity (and just a but of amusement) as a mischievous smile came to the face of the girl before him…and then he continued to watch and try his best not to chuckle as Helga suddenly pulled out her 'blind' glasses and placed them over her eyes and then picked up the cane she'd been using for the better part of the night from the floor near her feet. "Yes, sir—ready to go…As soon as you escort your 'poor, blind friend; out of here, of course, Arnoldo."

Arnold took a deep breath to keep himself focused so that he wouldn't laugh. He turned to face her completely and crossed his arms over his chest. "Helga…"

"What?" She shrugged innocently, still smiling. "Oh, come on, Football Head…" She reached up and tilted her glasses down just slightly for a second, revealing her eyes to him. "You basically ruined _my_ greatest prank ever before with _your_ greatest prank ever. The least you could do is indulge me a little—seriously, don't be such a spoiled sport, Arnold." She put the glasses back on. "Now…" she reached out her arm dramatically, "Grab my hand and help guide me out of here like a good football headed date, and I promise I'll try and not hit your legs with my cane TOO much…" She laughed in triumph to herself at the joke.

Arnold just observed her closely for a second…as well as that cunning smile on her face that told him there was at least a _slight_ chance that there might be an ulterior motive for this request to resume the slave/blind situation (and an ulterior motive _besides_ the chance for her to have him hold her hand again for a little while longer). Trying as hard as he could to keep his grinning under control, Arnold sighed and began to approach her. "Alright, Helga. I guess you're right—it's the least I could do…"

"Darn tootin', head boy!" Her grin widened at his complacency. "Now, move it!"

Arnold finally had to at least chuckle quickly to himself at this exclamation of Helga's as he finally came back along side her. However, rather than taking her right hand in his left one to lead her as he had done for most of the time they'd spent together during his 'servitude', he hesitated for just a second and then suddenly slid behind her and took her right hand in his own, allowing their arms to press against the length of each other…and he finished by putting his left arm half around her hip.

His face was right beside Helga's and Arnold could see that her smug smile was already long gone, and he was certain that behind her glasses her eyes must have gone quite wide like they usually did whenever he got too close to her (as he'd come to notice more and more over the last week). The touch of pink he could see creeping into her cheeks made him smile just a bit more and told him that he must be right in his assumption about her eyes...

Arnold cleared his throat and spoke in a low voice near Helga's ear, grinning almost uncontrollably. "Well…there's the door…" He nodded in the direction in which he had formerly been walking and then turned all of his attention right back to the girl in his arms. "Shall we go then, Helga?" He began to press against her just slightly to guide her steps forward.

"Uh…uh…" She swallowed hard, almost going forward to follow his guiding but then resisting at the last second (though barely), and Arnold did his best once again not to laugh. "I…uh…" Helga was now breathing quite a bit more heavily than usual too, Arnold couldn't help but observe with interest. Finally, though, she cleared her throat and seemed to regain herself (though the blush was still in her cheeks, Arnold noted to himself). "Uh, sure thing, Football Head…" Helga managed in a much more confident sounding voice…And then it was Arnold's turn to feel his eyes go wide and a slight blush come to his cheeks as she took her arm grasping her cane and suddenly placed it over his arm that was around her, not only pulling his body closer to hers but pulling his arm more tightly and more fully across her waist. "Let's cut a rug!" she added with a very suspicious slight laugh.

Helga then shifted forward to actually pull Arnold along behind…and simultaneously managed to angle her cane back behind one of his ankles. Luckily, though her tactic of pulling him into even more intimate contact with her in order to distract him had definitely had an effect, Arnold hadn't entirely forgotten his initial suspicions with coming back over to assist his 'poor, blind friend'…and so, just as he felt Helga's weight go to slam back against him (which would have effectively caused him to trip backwards across her cane and into the pool once more that evening) he instead released his arms from around her and stepped to the side, causing her to reel backwards for a second in empty space before...

"AHHH!"

_SPLASH!_

Arnold turned around to face Helga's floating form in the pool and finally just had to burst into warm laughter. As she finally came to the surface, sputtering water from her mouth, he couldn't help kneeling down over the edge of the pool and saying, with one of his half lidded gazes, "Got you again, Helga." He winked.

She just looked back at him with total shock on her face, blinking several times, obviously totally flabbergasted by the fact that he had not only pranked her twice in one night but that he had actually specifically managed to reverse one of her usually full-proof pranks onto herself yet again! Indeed, Helga's current surprise was so great that for a few more moments she just continued looking up blankly at Arnold who just continued smiling down at her floating there… Or, at least, that was the situation until a certain idea suddenly came to Helga's mind…and then a cunning smile quickly accompanied it… '_I am just too good at knowing how to mess with Arnold…'_

And then finally, before Arnold could process the change in her features and what it might mean, Helga suddenly used the ledge in front of her to bob up quickly out of the pool, reach forward and grab her beloved's hat off of his head, bringing it back into the pool with her.

Arnold's eyes went wide as he realized what she'd just done and felt the sudden draft upon his head. "Hey, give that—WHOA!"

_SPLASH!_

Arnold, not really thinking considering that someone had just removed his precious hat from his head, had reached forward to snatch it back from Helga's grasp on instinct, only to reel forward into the empty space between the ledge upon which he was perched and Helga…ultimately resulting in him toppling into the pool right alongside her…

As Arnold finally came to the surface, all he could hear was the sound of Helga laughing uncontrollably to herself. And indeed, seeing his drenched hair and slightly annoyed look (just like not too long ago when they'd ended up in the pool together the first time that evening), Helga couldn't help but grin at him between chuckles and say with more than a touch of smugness as she spun his hat in the air on one of her fingers, "You were saying, Football Head?"

Though she could tell he was still trying to seem annoyed with her for getting him wet again, it was obvious to both of them, as Arnold swam over to the ledge so that he could grab onto it and keep himself afloat like Helga was now doing, that he was starting to smile. "Very funny, Helga…"

"_I_ thought so, you little sneak!" She shook a finger at him playfully. "Nice try, Arnold, but don't ever try and one up the one up queen! You should know better after all these years than to think there was any way you could ever stop me from having the last laugh!" She laughed warmly again, and the sound couldn't help but make Arnold smile just a bit more.

Finally he just sighed, unable and no longer wanting to continue feigning annoyance with her anymore. "Okay, Helga, you win—you're the best!"

"Ah, music to my ears…" she laughed slightly to herself again, moving the small blue cap to her opposite hand to try twirling it on a new set of fingers this time around.

Arnold just rolled his eyes at the comment and the action, and then shifted a bit closer to her. He spoke sincerely. "So, can I have my hat back now, Helga? Please…" He reached forward for the small blue item she was still holding just slightly away from him.

Quickly, though, upon seeing his arm extend forward, Helga swam backwards several feet. "_Uh, uh, uh!_" She shook her head back and forth playfully. "You want, you work for it, Football Head!" And suddenly she began to kick under the water, causing herself to move away from her beloved at full speed.

"Helga!" Arnold called out playfully, swimming/sliding himself along the ledge of the pool after her. He was reaching forward with his free hand the whole time. "Come on, I mean it! It's my _hat_!"

"You'll get it back as soon as you're quick enough to get it back _from_ me, Football Face!" she called after him playfully as he continued to pursue her with a smile.

"Oh _yeah_?" He laughed, letting go of the ledge and now full-on swimming after her…and gaining…

"Oh, just a _hair_ too slow, Arnoldo!" Helga announced with a proud chuckle as he used the pool wall to push himself forward for a second in his swim, almost managing to reach her. "Nice lunge, though!"

"Helga…" starting to get tired, Arnold resumed moving after her using the ledge of the pool as a guide, "You know, you can't keep this up _forever_—this pool's only so big and you're bound to get tired soon!"

She just rolled her eyes at the warning. "Yeah, well, until then this is hysterical, so, come on, Arnold—keep going for the carrot!"

"Helga, this isn't fair!" He was almost all out laughing as he spoke, his smile a mile wide as he continued moving after her, though she was always managing to be just a foot or so away from him. "I mean, how would you like it if I stole your hair ribbon?"

" 'Hair ribbon'?" She almost stopped in her swimming, but then settled for just blinking and then asking in an amused voice as she continued to swim backwards and avoid her beloved. "What is this—the 1930s? It's a 'bow', Einstein! And as for stealing it, I'd just like to see you _try_!" Her grin grew. "And even if you _did_ manage to get it from me, I could catch you MUCH more quickly than it's taking you right no—OOF!" Helga, too concerned with delivering quality sarcastic quips to every plea Arnold had made for his hat, had failed to realize just how close the wall of the other side of the pool was…which was why, now, she suddenly found herself slamming backwards into it, much to Arnold's amusement.

He quickly swam up right in front of her, effectively cornering her. "_You were, saying Helga_?" He asked ironically, raising an eyebrow, the amused smile still on his face.

He watched as Helga blinked several times at the sight of his proximity and at the shock of suddenly having nowhere to go, but then quickly shook her head to clear it and did her best to resume a weak scowl. She held up his hat high in the air and as far behind herself as she could. "Hey, you still have to reach for it with those shrimpy Football Head arms of yours, paste for brains!"

Arnold just chuckled at the challenge and then reached up and over her as far as he could, though he still couldn't make it as far back as she was holding his hat. "Helga!

She just kept laughing at his efforts and all the while stretching her arm with his hat as far away from them as she could. "Oh man, I wish I had a camera! You, looking like a drowned rat and practically jumping all over me all because I took your precious hat! Come on Arnoldo, face facts…You couldn't manage to get this hat back from me in a million years, no matter how hard you tried!" '_Couldn't even get it back yourself the FIRST time—I had to hand deliver it to you from the dump!_' she couldn't help but mentally add to herself with a smug grin.

"Oh _yeah_…?" Arnold began with a smile, and suddenly he lunged forward as far as he could.

Unfortunately, despite this quality effort, rather than finding himself the possessor of his hat once more, the only result a naturally-shorter-than-Helga Arnold got was missing his small blue goal by several inches, and then falling forward and below the surface of the pool. He came back up a second later, sputtering water and having to flip back his freshly drenched hair once again that evening.

Helga couldn't contain herself at the sight of what had just happened, and instantly burst into uncontrollable laughter. "N-not even c-close, Football Head!" she managed to stutter out in between chuckles.

Arnold, despite her laughter at his expense and his failure to get the hat thus leading up to his latest soakage, couldn't help but suddenly smile and even laugh a bit to himself at the warm, happy, 'nice' sound coming out of the girl before him...just like so many times that night and so many times last weekend during her birthday. And then finally he just sighed to himself and considered his situation for a second. _'Well…okay, so just diving for it didn't work… Maybe carefully trying to grab it from her now that she's so distracted with laughing would help. At least I wouldn't have to worry about missing it or slipping and accidentally ending up under water again_…' And with these thoughts Arnold then proceeded to slowly move forward the rest of the distance between himself and Helga, and to place one hand on the ledge behind her body to steady himself and to use his other hand to lean over her and reach (much more methodologically) towards the hat again…all the while still looking at her and grinning…and finding himself, much to his interest (especially since he hadn't really realized it until just now), drawn more and more into her eyes…

"Ah, going for the 'slow and steady' approach, I see, Football Head…" Helga just smiled into his face and felt her eyes go a bit half lidded at the warm gaze she found meeting her own. "Well, unless you can add a few inches of length to that shrimpy body of yours, I think you'll still be out of luck…"

"I'll take my chances, Helga…" Arnold replied with another small chuckle as he continued to move forward just a bit and then just a bit more, still trying to balance himself with the hand on the pool ledge behind Helga as he reached for his hat…though his eyes were still focused more on her face and eyes than his supposed goal… _'I'm glad we're getting to be alone again…we always seem to have more…more fun when we're alone…_' he thought to himself with a contented mental sigh.

And Helga, much to his continued happiness and delight, just continued bending back as far as she could away from him, laughing occasionally in that warm, happy way that he couldn't help but like…and looking right into his eyes as well as he continued to fail in retrieving the item of his she'd so cleverly snatched…

And it was then, after a few more seconds of this playful struggle and as Arnold reached the last bit forward that he possibly could over Helga's body (effectively finally securing a grip on his hat…and also managing to place himself practically nose to nose with the girl in question), that they both finally fully realized just how far back Helga was leaning…and just how much Arnold, for all of his leaning forward to compensate for it, was all but on top of her…and how close their faces were…and how wonderful a time they'd just been having…and how they were both still very much locked onto each other's eyes…

Their breathings became slower and slower…and Arnold, with some surprise, suddenly found himself becoming aware of how warm it felt to by laying against Helga, even despite the cool pool water around them…

…And then he was surprised (and yet…just a little excited) to find his eyes starting to close and her eyes starting to close, and to feel his heart pounding as he began to lean forward and…

And then suddenly there was nothing there—no warm, living presence in his arms. He opened his eyes to see Helga gone and felt, strangely enough, disappointment wash over him…and not just at her absence but also at the absence of whatever might have been about to happen between them—

"Uh…I think that's enough games for tonight, Football Head."

Arnold blinked at the statement, his thoughts on the feeling he was having suddenly broken, and turned his head toward the source of the voice only to see Helga floating near a ledge quite a few feet away... blushing noticeably and avoiding looking at him. It took Arnold a second, but then he realized that she must have slipped out of his arms while his eyes had been closed and then swam away and over there. He blinked as this understanding of the situation sunk in, and then just continued to look at her, his face a mixture of confusion and disappointment…just like those emotions he'd just realized he was feeling and all because Helga had been there and then she hadn't been there… And it wasn't helping him feel any less surprised by this whole situation that his heart was still pounding in his chest…just like it had been from the moment he'd first realized how close they were and how strangely right it felt to lean in just a bit…and maybe get lost in the heat of the moment once more that week…

Helga, meanwhile, had continued not making eye contact with Arnold and still just looking to the side shyly for a few more seconds. Finally, though, she quickly tossed her beloved's hat over to him and did her best to diffuse the awkward moment with a joke and a nervous laugh. "Heh, heh…I mean if you wanted it so bad you should have just told me…" Then her eyes went wide and her face all but turned scarlet. "Wanted the HAT I mean, heh, heh…" And then with a swallow she turned around and used the pool ledge to push herself out of the water. _'He almost… Oh, I can't do this! It…what the…I mean…I'm not prepared for THIS! I love Arnold and Arnold's supposed to be blissfully unaware of that and I'm supposed to torture him to express my feelings—that is the situation I know how to handle! Not all of this random teasing and private conversations and then him…him leaning to…to KISS…to KISS me! What am I supposed to do with THAT? Do I kiss him back? Do I just let him do it? And how do I know if it's just in the heat of the moment or if it's…it's…_' She took a very slow deep breath and then let it out, shaking her head to clear it. _'Ugh, I swear this whole post-confession lifestyle is going to give me a heart attack!'_

As Helga had returned the hat and then proceeded to have these panicked thoughts, Arnold had just continued looking after her for several more seconds, his attention torn between her strange actions and also figuring out just what exactly the feelings he was having right now meant. Especially that disappointment, which, of everything he was experiencing courtesy of the last minute or so, kept lingering the most strongly…

In fact, Arnold hadn't been able to help but realize that he had been left just a little disappointed inside (to say the least) _every time_ he'd gotten even a little close to Helga over the course of the last week only to not have her open up to him like she had during her birthday... Not that it wasn't fun to watch her trying to keep up the act despite how he knew she really felt about him, and not that it wasn't what they'd both agreed was best for now…but, still, when weighed against how he knew it would make him feel to see her smiling and laughing with him and getting all nervous around him again… The very idea of this second option actually made a warm, strange spark twist through his stomach.

In short, needless to say, Helga had been on Arnold's mind quite a bit lately, and it made him wonder, now that they were having some more alone time, if he was still on hers as much. _'I wonder if she's had any more dreams about me ever since_—'

"Arnold , for Pete's sake, before your hat gets waterlogged and sinks like a stone, pick it up and put it back on your head!" Arnold blinked and then felt his daydreamy eyes come back into focus upon the form of the owner of that sarcastic voice he knew all too well. Helga was out of the pool now, and he noticed, with interest, that her blush was long gone and now she was just staring him down and scowling slightly at him as she wrung out her hair, obviously trying to bring back her usual Helga G. Pataki attitude. "Any day now, Mr. Head-in-the-clouds!" she added with an eye roll at the fact that Arnold still wasn't making any motion to grab his cap.

Arnold blinked once more at the sarcastic reminder of the object he'd been pursuing, and then turned to his side and realized that his hat was indeed half sunk/half floating on the water's surface, and looking seriously drenched to boot. He grabbed it up quickly and then turned and used the ledge to push himself back up to the gym/dance floor. He started wringing out the blue hat just as Helga was currently still doing to her pigtails. "Uh…sorry, Helga…"

Helga just sighed, her hair now as dry as she could get it, and picked up her cane and glasses, which had both clattered to the floor when she'd fallen in, putting the latter item back inside of her dress pocket. "You _should_ be…" She responded in typical Helga G. Pataki sarcastic fashion. Then she just sighed and Arnold watched her glance around casually for a second, trying to seem indifferent as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, I think we really have done enough damage to this place, Arnoldo. Besides, I don't know about you, but once again this week I am _exhausted_ and could just use a serious nap to clear my head."

Arnold, despite that touch of disappointment inside of him growing just a bit at the sound of her seeming to retreat back into her sarcasm and the way there relationship had been before FTi and the last week (along with her suggestion that they're date come to an end), couldn't help but approach Helga with a smile, hoping for maybe just a few more minutes of openness and fun together tonight even if she had been a little uncomfortable with what had just almost happened between them in the pool. "Hey, at least _you_ didn't have to carry someone on your back all day as part of being their slave…"

The comment actually made Helga crack a smile again, much to Arnold's happiness. "Yeah, uh, sorry about that, Football Head…" She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly for a moment, and then her eyes went just a little half lidded…the effect of which was to make Arnold's eyes do the same. "You're just such a ripe target though, you know?" She chuckled and winked at him.

Arnold laughed as well at the observation, and then suddenly, to Helga's surprise, took a step closer to her (leaving them within only about a foot of each other). "Well, I guess we should get going then for real this time, Helga. Come on, I'll…" he swallowed nervously…and the action wasn't lost on a suddenly very wide eyed and blank faced Helga, "I'll walk you home…if that's okay with you, I mean…." he tacked on shyly.

Helga just blinked as he finished this request and she instantly felt her face go a bit rosy again that evening. "Really…Arnold? I mean…" She cleared her throat and did her best to ignore the fluttering of her heart, "You don't have to if you don't want to…I know I've probably bothered you enough today with all of my insanity, and I—"

She instantly stopped talking and felt her breath catch in her throat and her heart skip a beat as Arnold's face suddenly came very close to hers with his half lidded gaze. "I want to, Helga. _Really_…" She just looked at him in awe and confusion, her mouth agape, and Arnold couldn't help but chuckle slightly at this reaction. '_How can she spend everyday acting like she's the most selfish person in the world, and then not understand that someone could want to walk home with her….?_' Arnold just sighed to himself at the idea and shook his head, a great deal of his nervousness leaving him. He smiled warmly at her and continued. "Now, come on, Helga…" He gestured forward toward the door with his arm. "Like you said, I think we're _both_ a little tired and could use some sleep after a day like today… and maybe some time to just walk and talk together first would be nice too..." He took a breath and finished, "That's why I asked to walk with you—because I…I like spending time with you, Helga…" Arnold felt a touch of a blush creep up into his cheeks.

And then he just watched in amused interest for several seconds as Helga continued to have that shocked look on her face at what he'd just admitted…though it was accompanied now by a growing blush and a very small, shocked-sounding squeak that came out of her mouth. '_He…he actually…he really likes spending time with…with…with __me__?_' "Oh…" she managed to get out, blinking a couple of times, "Uh…well, then…thanks, Arnold…I….I…" She took a deep breath and swallowed hard, and then out of habit glanced from side to side just to make sure that they were indeed alone. "I…" a half smile came to her face, "I like spending time with you, too…" She instantly cleared her throat and glanced away nervously. "You know…however much someone can actually _like_ spending time with a Football Head…Heh, heh…" And with this transparent disclaimer she quickly began to head in the direction of the door which Arnold was still gesturing towards with his arm.

Arnold felt his smile grow just a bit and the last traces of disappointment suddenly leave him, not only at the fact that her moving forward meant that they would indeed get the chance for another walk together, but at what she'd just said to him…or, more specifically, how she'd just admitted out loud for the first time in a good seven days that she liked being around him and having him around. Arnold quickly raced forward to catch up with Helga's retreating form. As he got up alongside her a few steps later, he turned his half lidded gaze to look on her still nervous and slightly blushing face. "Thanks, Helga…for letting me walk you home, I mean, now that all the pranking's over…"

Suddenly, to his surprise, Arnold felt a yawn catch at the back of his throat, and he noticed that the action made Helga yawn slightly as well. He smiled to himself at the sight and continued in an amused voice. "Besides, I think we both really _are_ about ready to collapse after the week we've had, so we can keep each other awake until we get to our houses by walking together…"

He heard Helga laugh slightly to herself at the observation and then fight back another yawn. "Yeah…last thing I need is to wake up tomorrow and hear that you passed out somewhere randomly in the streets so that I have to spend the rest of my weekend tailing your movements in the trench coat again…"

Arnold chuckled at the reference to her 'Deep Voice' disguise. "Yeah…and besides I…I think we're better at being a little more honest and a little more…I don't know…relaxed around each other when we're just a little worn out…" Another laugh escaped him as more memories of their last weekend together came forward in his mind. "I mean the last time we talked when we were tired you got a surprise party out of it, and I got a—" Arnold felt his eyes go wide and instantly he cut himself off at what he'd been about to unconsciously conclude his sentence with…namely, 'a kiss.' He cleared his throat and did his best to save the situation. "I got a…I…got…to spend some time with you, and it was…" he had to smile at the only words to come to his mind as they reached the doors and he pushed and held one open for her to leave by, "It was interesting…and nice…"

Arnold had started looking down with his eyes glazed over in a daydreamy haze as he had concluded his assessment of his post-saving the neighborhood time with Helga G. Pataki. He realized after a second, though, what he was doing and how it must look, and his eyes instantly went back into focus and snapped back up to meet Helga's face…the sight of which made his stomach twist uncomfortably and his breath catch in his throat for a second. She was just standing there and watching him with part of her brow raised and a finger in the air and her mouth half open—almost as though observing something about him…or trying to figure something out… '_He didn't mean to say_…' Helga almost smiled at the very notion. '_I mean, he isn't really such a sap for all things romantic when it comes to girls that he was actually about to say that as a 'reward' last weekend he got a…'_

Arnold just swallowed at that look on her face. '_She…she doesn't know that I was about to say…to say….'_ He felt himself blush slightly at the word, '_a Kiss_…' In truth, though, even though that second kiss at the ice cream parlor had been the most nerve-wracking part of his post confession time with Helga, it had also been the thing that kept popping back into Arnold's mind when he least expected it over the last week…and making his heart start beating faster, especially when Helga was nearby. It had been an experience he would never forget, to say the least, and one, despite the seemingly solid logic that said he should have been disgusted by it because she was his personal tormentor, that kept making him smile….a lot…

Suddenly, to his great nervousness, a half smile came to Helga's face and she gave him a look, finally speaking...and in a tone that said right off the bat (much to Arnold's growing dismay) that she was about to take no prisoners. "_Really_, Arnold?" She began, her sly grin growing. "You got 'to spend time with me'…_That's_ the nonspecific thing that stuck with you from that day?" She leaned in closer to him and he felt himself swallow hard once more...and his heartbeat start to pick up once again that evening. She continued. "As opposed to—oh, I don't know—something you _asked_ me for that day…and something you seemed to think was about to happen just now…?" And then suddenly, and much to Arnold's surprise, she reached up with her hand and rested it gently behind his head, her fingertips in his hair, just as she'd done during those kisses in the back room at Slausen's.

In truth, Helga knew she was being a little bold right now but, still, she wasn't about to let Arnold get off _that_ easily. He may have left her surprised there for a few seconds with all of his sweet talk and that near 'heat of the moment' kiss in the pool, but now that she'd had a few seconds to regain herself there was no denying that there was definitely something going on with him when it came to her…and as long as they had a little time alone again finally she wanted to do her best to get to the bottom of it once and for all. And anyway, even if the conversation got too awkward, there was always the blanket excuse of it just being another April Fools joke, right? '_But the best part is that Arnold's so gullible he'll try and answer even the most ridiculous or embarrassing question truthfully before he realizes it might just be part of a prank_…' She couldn't help but smile just a little more at the idea…

Arnold, meanwhile, the second her hand had met his head and her fingertips had met his hair, had felt his breathing begin to come shallowly and the warmth in his face grow. His hand that had been holding the door open instantly and involuntarily dropped down away from it, causing the gym exit to swing shut once more. He didn't blink, all the while just staring wide eyed into her mischievous gaze, and finally did his best to say something despite all of the feelings that were suddenly, almost paralyzingly jumbled inside of him. "Uh…I…W-well…" he swallowed hard, his breathing still strange, "M-maybe the k-kissing was pretty m-memorable too…" he finally managed to stutter out.

"_Hmm_…" Rather than being satisfied with this reply, though, Helga instead leaned in just a bit closer to her beloved, that sly smile still on her face (though she was doing her best to fight back a blush _herself_ at this point)...and as she spoke she gently traced the tip of one of her fingers along part of the edge of his hairline and then down the side of his neck and finally, slowly along and off the edge of his shoulder. "You know…when we were dancing before and you told me you had something to tell me…I have to admit I half thought you were finally just going to come out and say that you 'don't hate me' too..." She was feeling unbelievably nervous but did her best not to betray the existence of the backflips her stomach was currently doing inside of her, and finally just went for it. "So…_are_ you any closer to realizing you couldn't help but love me even if you tried, or do you and that dense head of yours still need some time, Football Head?" Helga felt like her heart was about to burst from her chest, she was so anxious about what his reply might be…

Arnold felt his jaw drop slightly at this final question from her...and likewise at processing that feeling of her finger moving along his neck and collar…and how similar it felt to something he'd imagined Helga doing to him in his dream back at Slausen's last weekend… "I…" '_Like Helga back…? __Love__ Helga back…? I…well that's not…I mean…But I kind of…I guess_…_I_…' And, indeed, Arnold was just a bit torn: he'd refused to even _think_ of _that_ possibility every time it'd come into his mind over the past week (which had been happening more and more frequently as the days had proceeded) and yet…the evidence was overwhelming. He wanted to spend time with her, their time together made him happy, they seemed to get along so well when she let her guard down a little like when they were alone, and he kind of sort of…liked the kissing. "I…" he started again… "I'm not…I don't...I mean..." He felt himself about to say the truth—that he wasn't sure anymore...that he didn't know...

Luckily for Arnold, though, whether he was going to say 'I don't love you', 'I don't know', or 'I don't think I can live without you,' Helga didn't have the courage to really find out just yet…and so she cut him off with her Plan B for this evening. "Oh just relax, Football Head—April Fools." She winked at her beloved and then shifted a few inches away from him to give him some space. _'Besides_,' she couldn't help but add to herself mentally, _'I just confessed last week…Don't want to rock his world TOO much by suddenly shoving the proverbial microphone in his face and saying 'Okay, now it's your turn, Football Head—dazzle me_!' She almost laughed at the idea. '_And anyway_…' she tacked on as a truthful afterthought, '_I really…I mean, what we've got going right now is a little strange but I can handle it if I take a second and breathe…but suddenly putting that official 'yes' or 'no' from him on it… I mean, at least right now there's still 'hope' so I can still get through but if he took it away because the truth is he doesn't want to be anything but my friend_…' She almost shuddered at the thought, though she did her best to hide it from her beloved by continuing her smile.

While Helga had been having these thoughts after suddenly letting him off of the hook, Arnold had actually had to blink several times and take several breaths before what she'd said to end the joke had managed to process with him fully. Her physically backing off of him slightly, though, helped considerably. "Oh uh…right… Uh…Good one, Helga…" came his nervous response to her 'April Fools.'

"Although…" she put a hand on one of her hips and glanced away, her sly smile momentarily returning, "I _will_ say this, though—for someone who just wants to be my friend you don't seem to object to the possibility of 'the kissing' all that much." She had to laugh to herself and even made air quotes around the phrase Arnold had used.

Arnold felt his heart drop into his stomach again and he swallowed hard, blushing slightly and looking away from her with wide eyes once more. '_Oh boy_…' "Well…I—"

Helga just sighed at the flustered response and rolled her eyes. "Relax, relax, April Fools _again_, Casanova!" She laughed and crossed her arms over her chest. "You should have seen the look on your face though—both times! Priceless!" She resumed chuckling to herself at the reactions she'd managed to get from him. Despite her laughter, though, on the inside Helga couldn't help but observe to herself, '_Still, maybe I should have a little more confidence in myself—at the very least, I might actually_ _be__ more than half way there with getting him to like me back! I mean, sheesh, __he's__ getting even more nervous around me than__ I__ get around him!'_

Meanwhile, it took Arnold a second or two of continuing to stand there with a blush on his face and his eyes unblinking, but finally he managed to process Helga's 'April Fools' and then he took a deep breath and just let out a sigh and glanced down, obviously smiling quite a bit. "Very funny, Helga… Come on, let's just walk you home, okay?" He pushed the door open once more for her.

Helga just sighed dramatically and smiled as she exited into the hallway of PS 118. "If you insist…"

Arnold grinned just a bit more at the reply, feeling his nervousness starting to slip away again. "If _I_ insist…?" He exited the gym as well and the two began to walk up the hallway toward the school exit. "If I remember right, _you're_ the one who just asked for me to personally guide you all the way to your house, Helga…"

Helga just shrugged as casually as she could at the observation, matching her stride with Arnold's. "Hey I just didn't want you to feel ditched by your date or anything, Football Head."

"_Mmm hmm_…" he responded, his grin growing a bit and his eyes going half lidded. He leaned a bit closer to her as they walked. "And us spending a few more minutes together alone on a dark night after what just happened in the pool isn't a factor at all?"

Instantly a bright blush came to Helga's cheeks, much to Arnold's amusement. He heard her breathing pick up strength a bit and her usually confident voice began to stutter nervously once more that night. "Uh, I…I…" '_How does he… __Crimeny__, how does he keep figuring out the truth about EVERYTHING?_' Helga couldn't help but recall that first post-confession morning and afternoon together during her birthday when Arnold had suddenly gone from clueless to being able to read her like an open book. And she still didn't like it…however much he seemed to be enjoying it all, himself.

Arnold, meanwhile, just laughed to himself at Helga's reaction that must have been so similar to his own when she'd caught him off guard before with an awkward question. He finally took a deep breath and just winked at her. "April Fools, Helga."

Helga blinked a couple of times at this statement and then finally felt herself starting to breathe normally again. It took her a couple more seconds to get all of the feelings she was currently experiencing inside of herself under control, and then finally she managed to address Arnold, her eyes still pretty wide with shock, though, to say the least. "Okay, you know what—no more double meaning comments with the excuse of it being 'April Fools' because it's all fun and games until one of us gives the other one a heart attack, Football Head."

Arnold had to laugh at the comment as they finally came to the school exit. "Okay, Helga…But it's going to be a little hard for me…." He stopped and looked to her, putting his hands behind his back. "You know, you're a lot easier to trick now that I know you a little better…"

Helga just sighed with a smile and pushed open the front school doors, heading out into the cool night air and letting Arnold do the same. "Oh, just shut up and let's get out of this school already, Arnoldo! Sheesh, I _do_ have other things to do besides babysit you all the time, you know!" She winked at him.

Arnold laughed in response and Helga joined him, and then the two proceeded down the front steps of the elementary school. As they reached the sidewalk and their laughter began to subside, Arnold took a breath and glanced down and seemed to be considering something. Finally, he took another breath for encouragement and then took a step closer to a still smiling Helga. He put his hands behind his back and cleared his throat just a bit before hesitantly addressing her. "Hey…Helga?"

Helga got the last bits of her chuckling under control and crossed her arms over her chest. She smiled at her beloved and at how shy his demeanor all of a sudden seemed. '_Why the heck does he have to look so cute all the time_?' "Yeah?"

She watched with interest and more than a bit of curiosity as Arnold then swallowed hard and commenced to rubbing the back of his neck with one of his hands, all the while not looking at her...and starting to…blush a bit? "Well…um….And feel free to say no to this if it makes you uncomfortable but…I mean, since no one would see us this time of night and, well, since it's dark and since I am still technically your date this evening—"

Helga just smirked and sighed and rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips and cutting him off right there while they were 'still young.' "Enough disclaimers, Head Boy—what's on your mind?"

Arnold blinked at the blunt question and felt himself blush a bit more, though he hoped Helga wouldn't notice between the streetlights and the twilight. And then he finally did his best to just take a deep breath and finish asking her what he wanted to know…or, rather, wanted to _do_… "Oh, well…would it be okay if I…if I held your hand on the way back to your house, Helga?"

It took Helga a second to process the question but when she did the smug smile instantly dropped from her face, and she swallowed and her eyes went wide. "Uh…" a few seconds passed and then suddenly, and to Arnold's interest, her eyes went a bit half lidded and a shy smile came to her lips and her voice suddenly sounded…nice. There was that word again. "Well, sure, Arnold…" And for a second he just couldn't help smiling at the pretty smile on her face. Suddenly, Arnold lost the shy look and his eyes went wide with surprise. '_Did I just think that Helga G. Pataki was…__pretty__?_'

Arnold was interrupted from his thought by the sight of Helga suddenly losing that look and raising part of her brow (due to the change in expression that had just come to his own face, he guessed). Then Helga lost that 'shy look' herself, and suddenly seemed to be eyeing him suspiciously, her normal tone of voice returning. "Wait a minute…this isn't another stupid 'April Fools' moment, is it, Football Head?" She looked at him sternly.

Arnold had to blink at the question. But then he couldn't help but smile again and laugh slightly to himself at the very idea. He stepped a bit closer to Helga and took her hand in his own, lifting it up and speaking in a sincere tone. "No, I promise, Helga. No April Fools. I…I want to. Just like with the walking you home and the spending time with you. Really." And before he could stop himself, Arnold took a breath and summed up his courage…and then gently kissed the back of Helga's hand to prove his sincerity.

Helga felt herself practically melt inside the second his lips hit her skin, and she knew she must have gotten the dreamiest smile imaginable on her face at the action but she just didn't feel like trying to cover it up at the moment… "Oh…" she managed to get out in an obviously dazed tone in response to his assurances, "Uh…okay then, Arnold…Holding hands it is…_No problem_…"

Arnold pulled back and had to chuckle just laughed slightly at the return of her warm smile and voice, and the sound made Helga giggle in return...as did the fact that though the kiss was over he was still so delicately holding her hand…and she could still feel the place where his lips had just been thanks to the cool night air moving over the slightly moist spot. And then, finally, hand in hand and smiling like crazy, the pair began to head up the street together.

A few seconds of silence passed with Arnold and Helga just walking up the block holding hands in perfect contentment…

Then, eventually, Helga cleared her throat and spoke quietly. "Hey…Arnold?"

Arnold turned to her, still smiling. "Yes, Helga?"

Helga took a deep breath and he noticed she wasn't making eye contact, though a small smile was still on her face. "You know…off the record…since we're kind of having another one of those 'truce' moments…I was always afraid that after I finally told you everything about, you know, 'not hating you' that, well…I don't know, that my whole world would fall apart or something. But..." she swallowed again, "But you've made everything just…well, just…" She was looking at the ground as opposed to Arnold so she couldn't see the warm smile on his face or the fact that it was specifically directed in her direction as he turned his head to watch her delivering this little admission. Finally, Helga took one more breath and finished her sentence. "Well, you've made everything just…perfect!" And with that Helga Pataki closed her eyes and, before she could lose the courage, quickly turned her head toward her beloved and went to kiss him on the cheek…or rather where she _thought_ his cheek would be since she'd been imagining him facing forward shyly and glancing away from her while she had been speaking just now…

However, Helga's eyes flew open and she was a little surprised, to say the least, upon feeling her lips suddenly crush into something much softer and moister than a cheek…and much more desirable. Her eyes were still open and Helga could now see that Arnold's eyes were currently open as well, and actually quite wide in surprise, looking into her own as she kissed his mouth for the third time that week. However…despite the seconds passing, Arnold didn't move away, and, of course, Helga didn't… And then she watched as, to her total amazement, on top of not moving away, her beloved slowly closed his eyes…

Helga glanced around nervously for a second, really not sure what to make of this entire situation…but then the fact that she was kissing Arnold started to get to her and she couldn't help closing her own eyes and hearing her cane clatter to the sidewalk as it fell out of her free hand as she became absorbed in the kiss as well. They were already holding hands…and then Helga felt Arnold put his free arm around her waist just like that last time back at Slausen's…and she instantly melted against him and brought her free hand up to his shoulder…and then slowly up to his neck and head…

Meanwhile, Arnold wasn't sure what was going on with him, but he just…well he had to admit that he'd kind of been hoping something like this would happen… Actually, he had to admit to himself, now that they were indeed kissing, _every time_ he'd seen her this past week he'd kind of been hoping something like this would suddenly happen and let them break back into that level of a relationship where they could talk about the confession again. And, also, kissing Helga was kind of…well… Arnold considered 'nice' again but upon feeling her hand suddenly start to grip and pull his head in closer contact with her own (again, an action eerily...and yet intriguingly...similar to some of the stuff that the Helga from his dreams had done last weekend), he dismissed the word entirely. _'It's kind of_…' He hesitated and then (just as Helga moaned slightly) suddenly recalled the word she'd just used to describe things between them. '_Perfect. It's…it just feels…right…__perfect__…Like this is how we're supposed to be or something…_'

At how perfect that word and that notion sounded in regards to kissing Helga G. Pataki, though, Arnold's eyes instantly flew open in surprise at his own feelings, and he blinked and pulled away from Helga, ending the kiss…and realizing suddenly that his heart was beating like crazy in his chest…

Helga and Arnold just stood there for several seconds, looking at each other nervously and blushing…and their breaths coming a bit heavily, to say the least.

Helga quickly took a step back from her beloved and looked down shyly, putting her arms behind her back. "I…uh…" she swallowed, "Sorry, Arnold…I was…I mean, I thought your cheek was…and then your…your lips…" she had to swallow, "were…"

"No!" He blinked, stopping her apology. "I mean…" he swallowed as well, "It's okay, Helga…" He smiled at her shyly. "It…it's not like it was the first time, or anything, right?" He chuckled slightly to himself, recalling once again some of the kissing related memories he now had with Helga G. Pataki courtesy of the past week (and actually the past year of his life if you counted some of the more 'unofficial' moments during which their lips had touched).

At this unexpected response from her beloved to her explanations and apologies, Helga's eyes went wide and she instantly looked up and at him in surprise.

Arnold, noticing out of the corner of his eye the somewhat confused and uncertain look now on her face, took a breath and, despite his currently almost unbearable nervousness, did his best to continue his explanations for her to not feel strange about what had just happened. "And, well…you shouldn't apologize for kissing your date…especially when he, you know…kissed you back…" He felt himself blush even more…He managed to glance up at Helga, the dreamy grin involuntarily returning to his face as he finished… "That's…that's what a date's supposed to do…right?"

Helga felt warmth flood her face at everything he'd just said. Her heart fluttered madly.

And Arnold, done speaking, now just watched her face, seeming so nervous and unsure with eyes so wide and that tinge of pink in her cheeks, and just looking at him like every word he was saying meant so much to her… And this unusual sight of Helga G. Pataki looking flustered and shy that he'd only gotten to glimpse a few times since her confession last week couldn't help but make him smile warmly. Indeed, he almost shook his head to himself in a mixture of disbelief and amusement, still getting used to this new side of his former personal tormentor…who only made his life miserable, it seemed, because she actually cared about him and seemed to still think that there was no way in the world he could care about her too despite the fact that, regardless of some of the rougher times between them, they'd been friends since before he could remember. '_Hmm_…_I wonder if she realizes that if she wanted me to be her date for this dance, she didn't have to trick me into it…She just…had to ask…_' And indeed Arnold knew that if she had come up to him with her eyes wide and that rosy blush in her face and had asked him to go with her, he would have said yes in an instant. He felt his smile grow a little bit as he continued watching Helga looking so nervous here and now, and the thought completed itself in his mind: If there was one thing Helga never needed to do it was trick him into spending time with her…In fact, he'd been actively trying to come up with a way _to _spend time with her for the last seven days, though school hadn't exactly afforded much non-public opportunity to do so.

Finally, though, realizing that he was getting just a little lost in gazing at her and that it was getting a little late, Arnold just sighed to himself and put his thoughts aside for now, and then smiled and reached forward and lifted up his date's hand once more. "Well…Now that that's done…" still grinning with his half lidded gaze, he glanced to the side and felt just a bit of warmth creep into his face at the memory of his and Helga's latest kiss, "I guess I should get back to walking you home..."

It took Helga a couple more seconds to find her voice but when she did, even though she wanted to ask him a million questions about what had just happened and what he had just said and how he was acting and had been acting around her (ever since her confession, come to think of it), and just what it all meant…somehow she knew that it would all be a little too much too soon right here and right now. Better to let them have this one small moment during this date than to start trying to analyze it and pick it apart right away…And besides, Helga couldn't help but still have her doubts in the form of her paralyzing and conditioned fear of rejection that had kept her public admission of her true feelings for Arnold at bay for most of her life. '_He…he could just as easily be being nice right now as anything else… He's Arnold—he likes to make people happy, he knows how much he means to me now, we're kind of friends…and if ANYTHING would count as 'heat of the moment' I'd say a date after a day of dramatic prank war build up, an intimate tango together, nearly accidentally kissing in the pool before and just being alone here and now might actually come close to beating out the situation on that rooftop… Besides I just_…' Helga felt a touch of fear make her stomach flip and she swallowed, '_I just can't…ask yet…I mean, I'm surprised I was able to ask him jokinginly before but to ask him for…for real_…'

Helga couldn't help but mentally sigh to herself in a little frustration. '_I just wish he'd give me some piece of evidence that wasn't circumstantial…Something that would let me know that half this stuff lately really __isn't__ just him getting carried away or wanting to 'see something'_…' She briefly recalled the reasoning behind his request from her for a kiss during her party last week, '_Something that would show me that he actually maybe even thinks about it all as much in advance as I do… Then at least I'd know that everything between us isn't all just 'heat of the moment', and that would at least be something to go on: Arnold feeling kind of romantic toward me on a regular basis as opposed to just spontaneously whenever we're alone and things get a little intense_…' She almost scoffed at the thought. '_Yeah, I've just been on his mind morning noon and night…That would explain me having to trick him into this date just like I've had to trick him into practically everything involving spending time with me over the yea_—' Helga's thoughts stopped and she blinked as an interesting notion occurred to her just then, and one that she couldn't help but mentally kick herself for not considering and trying earlier. '_I could have just…__asked__ him to the dance, I guess… like a real date. If he'd said yes to something like that, with time to think about it and the understandable option of saying no, then that would have at least been proof of __something__…_' Still, Helga felt herself swallow hard and another one of those sick lurches happen in her stomach. '_But if he'd said no_…' She let out a sigh and knew that even if the crazy idea had occurred to her earlier she probably would have just gone with tricking him regardless—much smaller risk of rejection, after all… She couldn't help but feel a half smile come to her face, though, as she mentally added, '_And also it was just a little fun, like always, to get under Arnold's skin with a good old-fashioned Helga G. Pataki scheme… Just like the old days_…_or, at least, just like two weeks ago_…'

"Helga…? Are you…ready to finish walking home…my 'poor blind friend'?"

Helga instantly blinked at the sound of Arnold's voice (and at the feeling of him squeezing her hand, which he was still holding up, just a bit more firmly), and came out of her thoughts…which she suddenly realized, courtesy of the very amused grin on her beloved's face, had probably made her face take on more than a bit of that daydreamy look she had a habit of getting when thinking about him. Her near minute or two of dazed silence probably hadn't helped much either. Helga quickly just swallowed and picked up her cane from the ground, and then did her best to smile and joke with a quick nudge to Arnold, "Oh…quit being such a flirt, Arnoldo…" A little bold but, in her defense, he had just reciprocated a kiss out of the blue and she wasn't exactly on her game enough right now to come up with any retort that wasn't somehow romantically based considering the explosion of emotions and feelings she was still trying to keep at bay.

She watched in a bit of amusement and couldn't help but raise part of her brow as, at the comment, the playful smile instantly dropped from Arnold's face and his eyes suddenly went wide once more that evening. A distinct streak of scarlet could be seen entering his cheeks, as well.

And, indeed, though considering how in light of half the awkward exchanges that had taken place between them between last weekend and this weekend what Helga had just said seemed only mildly embarrassing at best…the thing was, it had never occurred to Arnold until those words had left her mouth that what he was doing with her—laughing with her and teasing her and holding her hand and telling her he liked being with her all just to get her to smile happily and laugh warmly and tease him back and agree to talk with him alone just a bit more (and on a date no less)—that it was all… that it could all be him actually…actually 'flirting' with her. He swallowed hard, unable to deny that something about applying that term to everything between them couldn't help but feel incredibly accurate. '_But if…if I'm actually…fl-flirting with her…_' he couldn't help but stammer at the word, '_then…then does that mean that I really do l—_'

The sound of Helga laughing quickly pulled him from the thought, and he blinked and his eyes refocused on the girl standing beside him. She smiled at him and let out a sigh. '_He just goes from confident to zero in half a second if I say the right thing, doesn't he? Sheesh, you'd think he'd realize that __I'm__ the only one who should be collapsing into an embarrassed puddle with half the stuff we've talked about lately_.' "April Fools, Arnoldo…Got you again!" She gave him a playful wink.

And with that and a small giggle she dropped their still clasped hands back to normal, hip level and then, firming up her grip a bit more (and doing her best not to sigh girlishly at the full return of the realization that she indeed had Arnold's hand in her own once more just like she'd always wanted to ever since the day she'd met him…and just like he'd seemed more than happy to let happen, lately), began to lead him up the street, laughing to herself… And after a second or two (during which the boy in question processed both the surprise of getting suddenly lurched forward as well as the familiar disclaimer she'd just tacked onto her comment), Arnold suddenly found himself bursting into warm chuckles right along with her.

Finally matching his stride with hers and feeling the blushing in his face starting to recede, Arnold just let out a deep breath to get his laughter under control and then sighed with a small grin still on his face, and finally managed to reply, "Whatever you say, Helga…"

"Ah, quit sucking up!" she replied with a mixture of sarcasm and humor, and then nudged him a little with her shoulder. And Arnold couldn't help but smile just a bit more at the gesture and then look at her with even more amusement as she added to her exclamation, suddenly whipping out her 'blind' glasses with her free hand once more and putting them on dramatically, "Now, get on to finishing up taking me home, slave!"

Arnold chuckled warmly and just shook his head to himself, and then felt himself grip her hand just a little bit more strongly. "Of course, Helga… Should I carry you on my back again or—Ow!" He couldn't help but wince in a touch of pain at the sudden feeling of Helga's cane that she was still carrying in her free hand whacking him in the shins as she had managed to make it do for the better part of their date together earlier that evening.

He just heard her laugh triumphantly as she moved the cane back to the other side of herself. "Okay, okay—that's enough suggestive and ironic comments out of _you_ for one evening, Football Head. Heck, I can already practically _feel_ you mentally forming a way to end up calling me 'Deep Voice' before we actually get to my house, and then you already out pranked me in public on this date—So, to make up for all of that, at the very least I think that we should end the night on one of _my_ jokes that makes _you_ blush and glance away awkwardly, and _not_ the other way around! Got it, Football Head?"

Arnold let out a slightly miffed sounding sigh, still feeling a bit of a sting in his lower legs, but then finally just shook his head and considered for a second…and then let out a much more understanding sigh and turned to his date with a small smile once again that evening. "Okay, Helga, that seems fair—we'll end on one of _your_ jokes…"

"Thank you—I'm glad you see my point, Football He—_A-A_-Uh…Arnold…" Helga's stuttering and sudden transition to her beloved's actual name was the result of Arnold suddenly shifting even closer beside her as they were walking…and suddenly (and very VERY unexpectedly) pressing the full length of his warm arm up against the full length of hers… The sensation was like electricity was darting throughout her entire body, and she felt herself almost collapse under the ecstatic feeling.

Arnold, meanwhile, his arm as against hers as possible now, just sighed to himself and didn't even glance at her, a pleasant half smile upon his face. _'Well, she said she wanted to be the last one to make a __joke__…she didn't say anything about doing anything __else__ to each other… And…well...as long as it looks like I've actually already been flirting with her a little bit…might as well go the rest of the way, right_?_ She doesn't seem to be minding it too much, and, anyway, it's not like this is to trick her or part of some prank or something…it feels nice and warm and I actually…really do like it._' Arnold almost laughed to himself at this strange yet very intriguing thought, and then he let out a sigh and glanced at Helga. "Everything okay, Helga? You…" he knew he was pushing it but still…it was a little hard to resist, especially considering half the circumstances of this evening and of their current relationship in general, "You feel a little tense…or at least your _arm_ does…" He really had to do his best not to chuckle.

At her beloved's inquiry about and sudden acknowledgement of just how much contact they were currently in with each other sunk in, Helga felt her heart flutter like mad and heat rush to her face. As they rounded the corner to her block, though, rather than going into embarrassment mode as she'd already done more than enough times that evening, she just let out a slightly exasperated sigh and used her free hand to reach up and rub her eyes under her glasses, mumbling to herself with a slight grin. "Oh for the love of…great—another confirmation for you that you _touching_ me turns me into twice as big of a grinning sap as when you just _say_ romantic stuff to me." She pulled off the glasses and gave him a bit of a chastising look, though it was obvious she was trying to fight back a serious smile. "You know, a little warning next time _before_ you try and use 'getting physical' to completely take me out of commission would be nice, Football Head…"

Arnold had to just chuckle at this unexpected and yet humorous reaction from the girl beside him. He let out a sigh and glanced down with a small grin still on his face. "Sorry, Helga…just doing whatever else I could think of to do since you wanted to be the only one telling the _jokes_ for the rest of the night… I'll stop though…" He couldn't help a touch of guilt entering his voice as he added, "I didn't mean to make you feel too uncomfortable or anyth—" His words stopped and his eyes went a little wide as, upon beginning to shift back slightly away from her to separate their arms, he felt Helga suddenly grip his hand hard once again and lean all of her weight against his shoulder.

"No, no, no—you finish what you started, Football Head…" she whispered to him with a grin, not looking at him. "If you're gonna be on a date with me, that's the rule…" She laughed to herself and didn't wait for his response as she suddenly moved forward, pulling him along with her and doing her best to keep their arms as entwined with each other as possible. _'Well, if this night really does turn out to just be another fluke, I might as well get everything out of it that I possibly can_…' Helga smiled at the thought and continued forward with her beloved.

Arnold, meanwhile, just did his best to get his legs back underneath himself at the feeling of being jerked forward by her yet again, though the sudden weakness he was feeling in his knees at what she'd just whispered to him and that light, amused voice in which she'd whispered it—accompanied by a giggle of all things—wasn't helping. Finally, though, with a calming sigh and the smile returning to his face, he managed to match stride with Helga once again and to even slow them down a little: her house (unfortunately) was already in their sights…and he knew he'd only have a few more minutes left with her—the real her—and then who knew when another time like this would happen between them? He glanced to the side and saw Helga just smiling contentedly and glancing down and forward like she was thinking or daydreaming about something, and he felt a contented smile come to his face as well at the sight... He turned to look forward and to get lost in some of his own thoughts as well… "Whatever you say, Helga…" he whispered with amusement about her final decision for them to remain as close to each other as they were right now.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed her blink at the address but then just laugh slightly to herself and resume her happy smile. "Thanks, Arnold…" he heard her whisper back.

For several more seconds the two kids just continued to walk forward leisurely with their arms all but wrapped around one other and small but meaningful smiles on their faces…just enjoying the warm spring air and the end to another stressful if not fun adventure together…and the fact that somehow, despite all of the awkwardness, things really did seem to be turning out perfectly…

Finally, as they passed the halfway point of the block (Arnold could already distinctly make out Helga's stoop in the glow of the streetlight above it), Arnold took a breath and cleared his throat. _'If I don't say it tonight I'm never going to have the courage to say it, am I? And who knows when we'll be able to talk like this again…_?' "Helga…" he swallowed…but then finally went for it, "About the kiss…or…the kiss_ing_, I guess…"

He heard her swallow and felt a bit of a shake go through her courtesy of her arm. He looked to her out of the corner of his eye again and saw that despite these reactions she was trying to just glance casually at him as she replied in as calm of a tone a possible, "Uh…yeah…Football Head?"

Arnold continued to be silent for a second or two longer as he did his best to muster the courage to say what he wanted to let her know, and in that time the two of them covered the last several feet left until Helga's stoop. As they reached the sidewalk before her first step, though, Arnold finally just took one more deep breath and turned to face her…and then lifted up her hand once more that evening and (also once more) gently kissed the back of it. Feeling the warmth already starting to flood his face, Arnold did his best to disregard it as well as the butterflies in his stomach, and finally just removed his lips from her skin and smiled up at her with one of his half lidded gazes…and then spoke in a sincere voice in regards to this very new (and very unexpected) aspect—_physical_ aspect—of his relationship with Helga G. Pataki, "Well…I know I've had a week, but I think I'm still a little confused about how I feel about this whole 'not hati'—uh, 'love' thing…" '_It's kind of pointless to not just call it what it is at this point_…' "But if we want to speed up the process of me figuring it out…" he felt even more heat flood his face, but just swallowed and did his best to ignore it as he finally admitted to the still confused looking girl before him, "I've been thinking that maybe an occasional one of _those_…of the kisses, I mean…wouldn't hurt…" He glanced away from her, too embarrassed to continue eye contact. He felt himself squeeze her hand a bit more firmly to steady himself as he finally concluded. "So…please don't feel bad or apologize if it happens again, okay? Because I really do think it's helping me figure more and more stuff out every time we do it…and also I…I kind of like it, even…I think…" Arnold almost had to blink as the fact that he had just said aloud this last part (this part that he had actually come to realize almost immediately after his and Helga's final moments together at Slausen's after her birthday party, though he'd felt so strange about it that he hadn't even admitted it out loud to _himself_ yet!) sunk in and made him swallow hard.

As Arnold's words had concluded, meanwhile, Helga's eyes had just been going wider and wider and then finally a full blush had come strongly into her face at his closing statement. '_Did he just…did he just admit that he's been thinking about kissing me even when we're not together…that he's been wanting to kiss me completely outside of any heat of the moment situation… And…?_' And then she was pretty sure her heart had stopped altogether at that last line of his. '_Arnold…likes…kissing…me. He __likes__ kissing me—he doesn't just like making me feel better by kissing me or sorting out his feelings by kissing me…He actually likes just the act itself… And he wants it to happen again…I think I'm going to die…!'_

Helga instantly felt a girlish sigh and a fainting spell coming on, though the feeling of Arnold releasing her hand and taking a small step back…only to reach up and gently touch the side of her face for a moment quickly put her heartbeat back into overdrive and brought her in full force back to the situation at hand. She watched, in shock and awe, as Arnold, with a small smile and obviously trying to hold back a small laugh (probably at the feeling of how warm she was certain her face had just gotten under his touch), quickly glanced down and cleared his throat, and then announced in a sincere voice as he looked back up into her eyes again, "Well, goodnight, Helga…and Happy April Fools Day…"

And then he hesitated…

And then she felt her jaw drop as he quickly pulled his hand away only to move his face forward and give her a small kiss on the cheek (much as she'd done to him last weekend during their goodbyes at Slausen's). He then pulled away, a strange smile on his face and a distinct reddish tinge on his cheeks. "See you on Monday!" And with that he instantly (and very quickly) began to back down her block in the direction of the boarding house.

Helga waited until Arnold had rounded the corner of her street and disappeared from sight before dropping her cane and letting the legs she couldn't feel anymore anyway give out from under her, causing her to collapse into a blissful puddle on her stoop. She felt a dreamy smile overtake her former surprised stare and quickly removed her Arnold locket from inside of her dress. "Oh, Arnold!" she began to coo, "You actually kissed me again and you LIKE it and you think that maybe it means that you…oh, that you might like _me_!" She gave a girlish sigh. "And you admitted you've been thinking about this all week so not all of it has just been in the heat of the moment! No, what you just said was entirely because you wanted to and it was entirely the truth and entirely wonderful, and not even one of those silly but sweet ambiguous things we kept saying to each other before and calling part of April Foo—" Helga instantly froze in mid monologue…and then mentally recalled Arnold's parting words to her just now. 'Goodnight Helga…and Happy April Fools Day!' "Wait a minute…" She put the locket away, her eyes wide. "He said 'April Fools' technically, which technically means that he might have meant it in reference to what he said about liking the kissing and thinking that it might make him realize that he likes me one day… But even if that's true the other stuff we were saying 'April Fools' about was awkward stuff that was still kind of true so it doesn't really negate it….Unless he actually meant it that time as a full on April Fools prank…although then again he _did_ keep going with the kiss before and he _was_ the first one to shut his eyes so it's obvious there's _something_ going on there… Still, though, what if he was just wishing me a 'Happy April Fools' and it had nothing whatsoever to do with what he said about possibly liking me a little, which would mean that he was _really_, really serious about maybe returning my feelings? But then again…" She suddenly closed her eyes and rested back against one of the steps of her stoop, her head in one of her hands. "Oh Crimeny—why am I _SUCH_ a basket case!"

And then like a shot she was suddenly standing up and running back in the direction Arnold had gone. "Arnold, _wait_! What did you mean by all of that? Come on, Football Head—you can't be ambiguous with me! If you know anything about me you should know that I'm so liable to read anything I want to into things you say that I'm _never_ sure what's going on with you half the time! Especially _NOW_! Arnold!"

And with that she pursued Arnold to get a straight answer out of him…and whatever else between them a straight answer might entail…

She was a little surprised, to say the least, when she rounded her corner and suddenly felt herself slam into something hard…and warm…and familiar…

"Helga, are you okay?"

Her eyes flew open and she instantly sat up, her breaths coming quickly. "Arnold?"

She watched as he blinked in surprise at seeing her again and then stood up and offered her his hand. She instantly took it and stood as well, still just looking at him with wide, surprised eyes, her breaths slowly starting to grow more and more shallow as the seconds passed

Arnold's eyes, meanwhile, just continued to stay wide at the sight of hers just continuing to stare like that into his own…and he swallowed and put his hands behind his back. "Um…sorry I knocked you down, Helga, but I was walking and then I thought I heard you calling me back and I started running back and I went to turn the corner and there you were and I…" He cleared his throat, realizing he was starting to ramble a bit with the explanation, and started to rub the back of his neck. "Um, anyway…did…did you need something, Helga?"

Helga took a few more shallow breaths to regain herself, and then managed to open her mouth and begin to reply, "I…I…" And then she paused once more and let out a deep sigh, still just looking hesitantly into his eyes…and finally said what was on her mind. "I…think we should…um…talk…Arnold…" She swallowed and felt a blush creep into her cheeks. "You know…maybe like… 'talk' talk…"

Arnold blinked as the response and its full implications as they processed with him. "Oh…_oh_. Um…" He swallowed hard himself. "Okay...Are…are you sure, Helga…?" He looked at her hesitantly. Certainly, he'd told her last weekend that whenever she would need to talk he'd be there for her, and of course he'd meant the offer sincerely… But, still, suddenly thinking about the entire concept of it—and of doing it _right now_—couldn't help but make him feel just a little nauseous and a little scared (especially considering some of the new feelings he'd been having lately about the girl before him…and some of the things he'd done with her over the last two weekends…all of which he'd liked considerably despite how confusing they could be sometimes, just like he'd just admitted to her.)

As he had these thoughts, Arnold just watched as Helga continued to give him that wide eyed look for just a second more and then instantly let out another deep sigh and rubbed her temples with one of her hands. "Pretty sure that if I have to walk away from one more ambiguous situation with you that I'm going to explode, at least...." She put a hand on her hip and had to half smile as she added, "Really—I usually try and avoid big truths like the plague, Arnoldo, but _anything's_ got to be better than this stress…"

Arnold almost felt a smile come to his face as well at the comment, and then with a deep breath he felt some of his initial surprise and nervousness at her sudden pursuit of him (and the purpose of said pursuit) start to fade. "Okay, Helga…" he did his best to say supportively, and then he put his arms behind his back as he continued. "Do you maybe want to…get some ice cream together or something, and then…you know… 'talk'…?"

Helga couldn't help but blink at the sound of his suggestion…and at how surprisingly okay Arnold seemed to now be with her sudden request. She knew, of course, from some of the stuff he'd said to her during their walk last weekend, that he probably wouldn't have turned her away in this situation regardless of how it might make him feel to actually go through with it, but she'd figured he would have _at least_ been a little more hesitant about diving into such an obviously awkward and intimate conversation… Yet, here they were…and he actually seemed strangely and randomly (and yet, sincerely) happy about the idea…?

Wanting to still keep the mood a bit light, though, despite what might be to come, Helga decided a small joke was in order and so she rolled her eyes and just smiled at her beloved. "Yeah, I'm sure Slausen's is just booming at almost 10 o'clock at night, Football Head." She had to laugh slightly to herself and just shake her head at him and his always well-intentioned if not always well-thought-out caring nature.

She watched as Arnold blinked at the comment, but then, rather than looking annoyed, suddenly just smiled a bit more at her and glanced down like he was considering something for a second…and then looked back up at her and reached forward, taking her hand in his once more. "I guess you're right, Helga… Um…in that case, though, would you maybe want to…come back to the boarding house for some ice cream or a soda or something? I mean…if you're really sure about being ready to, you know… 'talk'…" He looked up at her unsurely.

Helga felt a quick blush come to her face both at the return of his contact and at what he'd just asked her—to go to his house and eat with him and talk with him and… She did her best to push aside that faint feeling that she could feel coming over her again, and just smiled and replied to her beloved in a light voice, "Uh…sure, Arnold…" She swallowed. "I mean…whatever floats your boat, Football Head." She did her best to finish with this last little bit of playful sarcasm as she began to lead them up the street.

Arnold just laughed at the familiar response from Helga, and then proceeded to follow happily alongside her…this time heading in the direction of _his _house, though.

As the couple disappeared around the corner at which they'd crashed mere minutes ago, the first bits of whatever new amusing conversation they were bound to have on the way to Arnold's in preparation for their 'big talk' could faintly be heard…due, in part, to Helga suddenly stopping and swallowing hard just out of sight of the corner before asking in a shy voice…

"Hey, Football Head?"

"Yes, Helga?" came Arnold's content sounding reply.

A pause. "Not to jump the gun here since we should probably wait until we've got some place to sit down before he hit the big stuff, but…I was just curious…" Another pause. And then… "Did you mean all that stuff you said before about…you know… kissing me?"

"Oh…" It was obviously Arnold's turn to hesitate before speaking now. "Well, yes, Helga, I mean…it's nice and like I said every time so far that it's happened I keep realizing new things about you or me or the both of us, and its all been a little confusing but at the same time kind of helpful too…you know?"

Helga Pataki gave a very slight giggle at this reply. "Oh…uh…okay, well…then…" The sound of her swallowing hard could be heard...

…And then there were several seconds of silence…broken only by an occasional faint moan…and then the light sound of lips separating…

Some heavy breathing could be heard followed by a very familiar and dazed sounding voice suddenly asking, "So, um…what was that one for?"

Another giggle courtesy of Helga. "Well…I just figured…I mean, if we actually _are_ going to try and be completely honest and open about our feelings in about ten minutes, and as long as my kisses really _do_ keep helping clear things up for you…that doing it _one_ more time before we reached the boarding house wouldn't hurt." She laughed again as she added, "And, you know, it's not like they have to be 'budgeted and accounted for' or anything, Football Head—I'll double check but I'm pretty sure there's an unlimited supply of these things from me…and honestly the look on your face right now is more than enough motivation for me to keep giving them to you, Arnoldo…" She chuckled one more time to herself.

Their voices began to grow fainter as the couple started walking once more that evening, moving even farther away from the corner leading to Helga's block.

"Oh…" came Arnold's no longer dazed but nonetheless still very content sounding voice in reply, "Well, then, um…thanks, Helga. I'll…do my best to let it sink in before we hit Vine Street."

Helga giggled again. "That's all I'm asking, Football Head… And like I said…" a slight hesitation, "An unlimited supply, right here."

"Wh-whatever you say, Helga…"

And then Arnold laughed warmly and then Helga laughed warmly along with him. And then the sound of their footsteps stopped for a moment longer, courtesy of something one of the speaker's suddenly felt he had to say…or, rather, ask…

"Hey, Helga?"

"Mmm hmm?"

"Not to 'jump the gun' either but…well, where did you learn to do that? Kiss like that, I mean…? If you don't mind me asking…" The amount of nervousness Arnold must have been feeling at asking this question was more than apparent in the shaky tone of his voice.

Helga just giggled in reply. "Well, actually, that's mostly 'dream Arnold's' handiwork…You remember, Football Head—the guy I thought you were last weekend when you stopped by my room to wake me up for that surprise party." She laughed slightly to herself at the memory. "Oh, in fact…" There was another pause and then… "Ouch!"

"Helga…why did you just pinch yourself?" came Arnold's very confused voice.

Helga let out a sigh. "Sorry, Football Head—new policy of mine whenever things with you start to go okay so I can make sure of whether or not I'm dreaming..." She laughed slightly to herself and then added in an amused voice, "And, what do you know—this looks like it's real life! Hmm—wonders never cease…" She sighed once more and then continued with her response to Arnold's question about her kissing. "Anyway, like I said, a big part of it's probably been a lot of mental practice… I mean, if I'd just started randomly planting one on the _actual_ you whenever I got the urge all these years, I think you might have figured me out, eventually, so…what better place to practice then in my dreams, right?

"Oh…" Arnold's voice sounded almost intrigued as she concluded her response. "Okay…Well…." And then he swallowed hard and that touch of nervousness was back…though there was something playful in his tone as well as he added, "Thank him for me sometime, Helga…the Arnold from your dreams, I mean…"

She just giggled at this strange yet adorable request (_and_ simultaneous compliment of her kissing ability), and then responded in a slightly airy voice, "Uh…will do, 'real life' Arnold!"

Both kids shared a warm laugh at this exchange…and then the sound of their footsteps heading up the street resumed.

"So…" Arnold's voice, growing fainter by the second, finally interrupted the moment, "Should we just hold hands on the way there or did you want to try the arm thing again…? Or…" a touch of playfulness came to his tone again that evening, "I guess I can always try carrying you on my back again, He-_Hel_…Helga…"

This strange slight stutter on Arnold's part was due to the sudden feeling of a smiling Helga G. Pataki unexpectedly reaching up and using the tip of one of her fingers to quickly trace up his neck and behind his head…and then gently twirling a bit of his hair in her fingers.

"Why don't we just…see where the night takes us, okay, Football Head?" she asked in an amused voice.

"Uh…okay…" came Arnold's freshly dazed voice in reply. A second passed, though, and he managed to quickly clear his throat and reply with an obvious amount of nervousness and embarrassment, "Uh, I mean…whatever you say, Helga…"

She laughed slightly to herself and the sound couldn't help but make Arnold laugh slightly to himself as well… And eventually the happy voices and sounds of both children faded away into the warm night…

* * *

_This takes place...oh, why don't we say, between when Arnold was preparing to have Helga's prank of tripping him into the pool backfire on her and when they finally walked out of the gym together preparing to see Helga home…_

Gerald Johanssen, straightening his tie, walked up the hallways of PS 118, smiling to himself…Phoebe Heyerdahl by his side.

The young girl smiled up at him. "So, you and Arnold executed the entire pool prank all by yourselves? That was very impressive, Gerald." She giggled at him.

"Aw, it wasn't all _that_ great…" Gerald replied modestly, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. He glanced at Phoebe. "But…thanks, though, Phoebe."

She glanced away shyly, a slight blush coming to her face. "You're quite welcome, Gerald."

Gerald sighed slightly and did his best not to blush _himself_ at the pleasant exchange he had been managing to carry on for some time now with the girl beside him. "Anyway…thanks for understanding even though it was a prank on your best friend…Sorry you got a little wet too, babe."

Phoebe just sighed and smiled at the sweet apology. "Oh, don't worry about it, Gerald. Helga's joke was amusing but retaliation is half of what April Fool's Day is all about…And besides everyone diving into the pool at the end was actually quite fun!"

Gerald smiled happily at her acceptance and approval of his actions. "Well, I'm glad you liked it, Phoebe." He cleared his throat and couldn't help but glance away as he added, "And…I'm glad you're willing to let Jamie O give you a ride home again along with me." He rolled his eyes and added playfully, "I promise, he'll be less of a pain this time."

Phoebe just laughed slightly to herself and continued looking with a smile to the boy beside her. "Oh, I'm certain it will be very nice to see him again. And thank you for offering the ride…" She blushed and glanced away smiling. "I…appreciate it."

Gerald chuckled and put his arms behind his back, "Ah, anything for you babe…" And then he winked before he could stop himself…and to his delight the action made Phoebe giggle once more.

Anyway, the happy 'couple' was just passing by some restrooms at this point in the conversation when Phoebe suddenly paused in their walk through the hall. "Oh, Gerald, if we still have time before your brother arrives would you mind if I went to the ladies room for a minute to try and dry out my dress a little more using the hand dryer. I don't want to get the seats of Jamie O's car wet."

Gerald smiled and stopped in the hallway as well (which was conveniently by the gym doors). "Sure thing, Phoebe. I'll just wait out here for you."

She smiled. "Arigatoo Gozaimasu, Gerald. I'll be out very shortly." And with that she entered the Girls room.

Finding himself with a moment alone, Gerald leaned back against the wall near the gym doors, smiling to himself (specifically, about how he had managed to end up talking _alone_ with _Phoebe_ after all of the chaos at the dance not too long ago). And, indeed, he was just going to continue waiting there casually and getting lost in bits of happy daydreams at his good romantic fortune when suddenly the sound of one loud splash…followed shortly by another one…caught his ears. He blinked. "That sounds like it's coming from the gym…" He raised an eyebrow, eyeing the gym doors. "But who in the heck would still be in there…AND taking another swim?" He scratched his head, then glanced back in the direction of the Girls room door, figured that he probably had enough time and opportunity to just peek in the gym before Phoebe came out, and finally with a sigh he slowly and quietly opened the gym door just a bit…

The sight of Arnold and Helga all but playing in the pool together…follow by Arnold practically climbing on top of Helga and then pausing with his face inches from her own and just gazing into her eyes made his jaw drop, to say the least…

"Gerald?"

"Ah!" came his high-pitched yelp (luckily, though, he had allowed the gym door to close before yelling).

He turned to see Phoebe behind him, an eyebrow raised. "What are you doing?" she couldn't help but ask with a touch of curiosity.

Gerald took a second to take a breath or two to calm himself from his sudden shock (both at what he'd seen and at Phoebe's unexpected return), and then cleared his throat and looked at Phoebe, crossing his arms over his chest. "Hey Phoebe…listen…remember that secret about Arnold and Helga that we were kind of talking about last weekend after the whole saving the neighborhood thing, and that I said I wouldn't press any of you guys on until someone was ready to fill me in on their own?"

Phoebe blinked, more than a little surprised by this random topic of conversation. "Oh, um…of course, Gerald. Why do you ask?" She couldn't help but add the last question with just a touch of nervousness at the uneasy feeling of having her best friend's most intimate guarded secret suddenly brought up once more between herself and the boy before her.

Gerald just sighed in response to her question and rubbed his temples. "Well, does it count if I happen to just figure it out on my own?"

Phoebe couldn't help but blink again. "Gerald, I'm not sure wha—"

He sighed once more and then grabbed Phoebe's hand and gave her a light 'shush'…and then he opened the gym door just slightly and gestured for her to look inside with him…

And, instantly, Phoebe had to blink a _third_ time that evening at the sight of Arnold and Helga still in the pool and still almost on top of each other…though this time seeming to be leaning in for a kiss.

Gerald shut the door quickly, not wanting to interrupt their friends, and raised an eyebrow, smiling at Phoebe.

Phoebe cleared her throat and glanced down a bit hesitantly, though she was smiling as well. "And um…what have you 'figured out', exactly, Gerald?" Phoebe knew there was no covering this one up, but she was still technically sworn to secrecy as Helga's best friend…

Gerald just sighed once again and shook his head in amusement, and then glanced down and replied, "That Jamie O was right, and Arnold's got a girl…which means I really _do_ have to start looking, don't I?" He couldn't help but smile a bit more to himself…and not really process just yet, for how intriguing the idea was to him all of a sudden, that he had indeed just said it out loud. And in front of Phoebe, no less.

It took a second for Phoebe, meanwhile, to process that last observation but when she did she felt a quick blush come to her cheeks. Still glancing downward she took a deep breath…and then replied in a careful voice, a bit more of a smile coming to her face along with the blushing, "Oh… Well, not to reveal too much of Helga's personal life but that…sounds like a fair assessment of Arnold and Helga's current situation…and of what yours should maybe…be…" she managed to add shyly.

Gerald's eyes lit up for a second as he took in the last half of her last sentence in reply to that last thing he'd let slip…and then he felt himself blush considerably as well. He swallowed hard and looked at her nervously. "Oh… uh…yeah…maybe…" And then before the situation could get any more awkward, he quickly cleared his throat and did his best to move things along. "Um, well…anyway…uh…Arnold and Helga are bound to come out of there pretty soon… I mean, the janitors are getting ready to close up the school and everything in a little while…So…so we should probably get going outside to meet Jamie O, and not interrupt them..." Gerald then took a deep breath and summed up all of his courage (which took a lot considering how nerve-wracking these last few seconds had been) and, finally, and held out his arm to Phoebe…and did his best to keep his tone cool and smooth (and yet, of course, casual) sounding as he asked, "Shall we, babe?"

At the question, Phoebe just giggled once more, feeling her nervousness start to wane in the wake of that sudden warm happiness she'd been noticing come over her even more frequently than usual over the last week she'd spent more-than-occasionally talking with Gerald and doing things after school with him...and then, of course, getting the chance to dance with him a few times at the dance this evening… "Of course, Gerald…" she began to reply in a happy sounding voice, "I'd be delighted." And with that, she hooked her arm around his and the two of them proceeded to head down the hall.

Gerald just sighed to himself in amusement as they continued to walk in this fashion, and before his thoughts became absorbed with not embarrassing himself in front of Phoebe and with making sure she had a good ride home, he couldn't help but wonder to himself with a half smile, _'Mmm, mmm, mmm—Arnold and Helga…That boy __does__ like a challenge, doesn't he_?'

Phoebe, likewise, was having a few private mental observations of her own before turning her attentions to keeping her blushing under control and trying her best not to let her usual shyness keep her from enjoying the rest of her evening with Gerald. Indeed, her happiness for her friend was so great that she couldn't help but glance once more back in the direction of the gym and her best friend before she heard Gerald push the door open for her and the two of them exited the school. _'Happy April Fools Day, Helga…and Happy Birthday…Arnold was right this morning…' _Phoebe briefly recalled the incident in the cafeteria when Arnold had pranked Helga with that small box that he had claimed was to make up for not having gotten her anything for her birthday the weekend prior, '…_He really __was__ just a little late giving you your present_…'

And with these concluding respective thoughts, the two kids headed finally exited the school and found themselves in the warm night air.

"Hey, Gerald!" Jamie O honked twice, suddenly bringing both kids back to reality. "Hey Phoebe! Nice job having a pretty intense April Fools day, guys!" He laughed to himself as the kids entered the car. "It was even on the news—man, I have _never_ seen Wartz look that steamed!" He continued laughing to himself.

Gerald had to smile at the memories of the evening. "Yeah, it was a pretty crazy night!"

Phoebe smiled as well. "Indeed."

Jamie O finally got his laughter under control and was now just grinning ear to ear as he prepared to pull away from the curb. "Well, I can't wait to hear all about it! Man, you guys actually got the entire dance _shut down __early_—classic!" Some of his laughter resumed as he proceeded to start driving away from the school and in the direction of the Heyerdahl house.

"Yeah, but, for what there was of it, it was a pretty good dance, right Phoebe?" asked Gerald, turning to her with a smile and his eyes just slightly half lidded though he didn't realize it.

Phoebe just smiled back and did her best not to giggle at the slightly daydreamy expression on his face. "I concur, Gerald—in regards to both the dance as well as your final prank…Indeed, a perfect April Fool's Day."

Suddenly, both kids heard Jamie O give an impressed laugh from the front seat. "Oh man, Gerald—was that whole pool thing seriously YOUR prank! Aw, you have officially moved up in coolness level! Let's hear all about it!"

Gerald chuckled slightly at his brother's enthusiasm, and then couldn't help but look to the girl beside him and whisper "Thanks, Phoebe" and wink at her before proceeding to start his explanation. He cleared his throat and began, "Well, it all started with that crazy Helga girl and her random need to drive Arnold nuts…"

And as Phoebe laughed and prepared to here once again that evening Gerald's account of his and Arnold's prank with the pool, she couldn't help but laugh at just how accurate his opening statement was…about a lot of things, actually.

* * *

"Hey, Shortman, do you need anyth—"

Phil instantly paused at the sight before him…and then had to really fight not to burst into laughter, especially since doing so would probably end the unexpected and yet amusing sight before him.

"General, do the troops want any more ice cr—"

"Shh, Pookie!" Phil instantly whispered to his wife who had just started to open the door to the boarding house den and enter with a smile on her face. He quickly approached the door she'd been about to enter by and made sure both of them exited into the hallway as quietly as possible.

"What is it, General? Trouble in the trenches?" asked Gertie with an eyebrow raised and currently wearing an army camouflage hat and holding a fresh gallon or two of ice cream under one of her arms.

Phil just shook his head…a very large grin forming on his face. He spoke in a whisper. "No, no…but tell me we have a camera, Pookie, because I want to have a picture of this to show that boy every day for the rest of his life! Heh, heh, heh!" And with a laugh and this statement he took his wife by the hand and carefully and quietly opened the door to the den… And the sight there made Gertie smile just as much as it had done to Phil…

A few low lights gave the room a warm orange/yellow atmosphere and the television set was on low, glowing softly and playing some kind of old movie or television show…and there was a gallon of half eaten ice cream with a spoon in it and a bowl next to it on one end of the coffee table….and another gallon of half eaten ice cream with a spoon also in it and a bowl also nearby it on the other end of the coffee table…

And on the couch, still in a suit and a dress respectively, were a sleeping Arnold and Helga…and Arnold was laying on his side with his head propped up by some pillows…and Helga was laying on her side half on top of him, her head on his chest…and the two of them were wrapped in a large blanket…and smiling as they slept…

Once again doing his best not to laugh, Phil just shook his head with a smile and slowly closed the door once more, he and his wife exiting as quietly as possible into the hall.

Gertie practically beamed once the door had finally shut fully. "Aw, isn't that sweet—looks like Kimba's found a new little lady friend to play with while he's on safari…"

"Heh, heh, heh!" Phil couldn't help but suddenly burst into laughter. He actually had to wipe a tear from his eye as he looked to his wife. "Oh, boy, I cannot wait until those two wake up tomorrow! I plan to start camping out right in front of this door at 5 am with a bowl of popcorn and that old camcorder Arnold's got up in his room! Heh, heh, heh!"

Gertie just sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, now, Phil, leave the poor boy alone! I'm sure tomorrow morning's going to be awkward enough for him and that sweet little girl without you getting video evidence of it all!"

Phil just sighed in a bit of frustration, still doing his best not to burst into laughter, though, of course, at the very idea of the sight in that den. "Oh, come on, Pookie—the boy's such a wet blanket sometimes that I hardly ever get to have any fun with him…At least give me a sporting chance for some great one liners at breakfast!"

"Well…" Gertie suddenly couldn't help but feel the laughter she'd been trying to resist at her grandson's current adorable position force her to crack a serious smile as well, "Alright, General, but only if the Private's friend has gone home before then—otherwise you wait until lunch like a good platoon leader!"

Phil rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Oh, but, come on, Pookie! Having her there while I give the boy a good post-April Fool's razzing is half the fun!"

Gertie just sighed and shrugged and then proceeded to turn back in the direction of the kitchen to put the ice cream gallons still under her arms away. "You can make two mild remarks at breakfast if she's here and then I think it would be better if you take pity on the children and save the heavy stuff for when it's just Arnold—but that also means, as part of the deal for getting to say anything while she's still here, that it's raspberry turnovers and toast with raspberry jam for breakfast, General!"

Phil let out an exasperated sigh but finally replied in a bit of defeat, "Oh, alright, Pookie—sheesh, you drive a hard bargain!" His smile returned though as he followed after her into the kitchen. "Hey, as long as we're up, though, and the kids don't want any, let's dig into some of that ice cream ourselves! Any of that Chocolate Ripple or Vanilla Swirl left?"

Gertie stopped walking and pushed open the kitchen door, a slightly smug smile on her face. "No…Just Black Raspberry…"

Instantly Phil's smile fell…and his stomach must have sensed the change in emotion because it suddenly let out a loud grumble. "Oh…why do you torture me like that, Pookie?"

Gertie just giggled to herself and announced, "April Fools, General!" She gestured to the two gallons in her arms with her head, "I've got the vanilla and chocolate right here. I gave the raspberry and that gallon of Peanut Butter swirl to the kids."

Phil rolled his eyes though he couldn't help but smile, and then resumed his approach to the kitchen door. "Oh ha ha very funny, Pookie—you almost gave my _stomach_ a _heart_ attack!"

Gertie just chuckled to herself at the comment as Phil walked past her into the kitchen. Smiling, she followed behind him, allowing the door to swing shut a bit in their wake.

"General, I know we don't want to wake them but do you think I should go in there and try and get them a little cleaned up? Poor things have purple and white and peanut butter all over their mouths…It must be a little sticky…" came the question from Gertie behind the now closed kitchen door.

Phil just laughed once more and then replied happily, "Eh, I'm sure they'll be fine until morning, Pookie. Really is better to let the kids sleep—they've had a long week, after al—" And then Phil paused for a second. "Say, Pookie…did you say that they had both flavors all over their faces?"

"You got it, General!" came Gertie's cheerful reply.

"_Ugh_…" Phil suddenly shuddered.

"Something wrong?" asked Gertie with a touch of curiosity at the strange exclamation from her husband.

"Well..." Phil began, still sounding a little creeped out, "I know kids'll eat anything but who in their right mind mixes Black Raspberry and Peanut Butter Swirl ice cream and then goes and eats the equivalent of half a gallon of it each? Sheesh, when I trained young Arnold for that eating contest, I taught him to eat through the _pain_ not to eat through the _disgusting_!" Phil made a dramatic sound of disgust again

Gertie just let out a happy chuckled at his dramatics and replied casually, "Oh I'm sure they were just bored and trying something new…or maybe it was even some part of a prank or something…Anyway, it doesn't really matter so long as Arnold's back home and had a good time at his dance, right?"

Phil was silent for another second but then yawned and replied in a tone suggesting acceptance of this hypothesis, "Yeah, I guess you're right, Pookie…But…_ugh_…" Phil made a sound of disgust again, "Remind me to ask that boy what the heck he was thinking about that ice cream in the morning after I'm done giving him a hard time. I mean, raspberry's bad enough but with something as wonderful as Peanut Butter Swirl? _No way_, Pookie…"

Gertie just laughed once again at her husband and then let out a content sigh and replied, "Well, I'm sure it's nothing, General... For now though…" there was the sound of rummaging for silverware and then a triumphant cry of, "Let's dig in!"

"Heh, heh!" Phil replied, and then the next thing he said came out slightly muffled as though the speaker was eating something all of a sudden, "You still got it, Pookie!"

And with that the older couple commenced to eating their ice cream and talking about the little situation currently going on in the den and some things about their own courtship that it reminded them of…and Phil did his best to prepare the idea for a joke or two for the morning…

* * *

Back in the den, the ice cream continued to melt a bit and Arnold and Helga continued to sleep curled up on top of each other, still smiling and indeed with lips covered in swirls of purplish and tanish… And it would have interested Phil or Gertie in the morning to note that despite the distinct mix of flavors on the mouths of the two kids, that the spoons and bowls upon the coffee table, which were just as stained with ice cream, seemed notably dedicated to only one flavor respectively…

"Mmm…_Arnold_…" Helga whispered in her sleep, smiling just a bit more and pressing her lips together and snuggling against her beloved.

And a second later the sound made a slight laugh come out of Arnold's sleeping mouth…and then the word "Helga…" whispered with a grin… And in his obviously dream filled sleep he moved one of his arms around the sleeping girl upon him…

It was definitely going to be an interesting April 2nd, to say the least…

* * *

**A/N:**

Okay, I hope you guys liked that! I just thought it was a really cute way to wrap up this random story of mine, lol :) And for anyone looking for news about Chapter 6 of LTBH, I'm thinking another week or two since I just got done with my graduation and I am exhausted, lol, but I tend to get cravings for writing at the most random times so hopefully I can get it done sooner than that. If it's any consolation, though, along with all of the AXH goodness that it will be starting out with, awkward conversations also manage to abound in the next installment that have absolutely nothing to do with our favorite couple, if that gets anyone excited for what's next ;) Okay, enough of me rambling, lol! Please review, lovely readers!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna

AXH FOREVER!


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